Noninvasive neuroelectronic interfacing with synaptically connected snail neurons immobilized on a semiconductor chip.
A hybrid circuit of a semiconductor chip and synaptically connected neurons was implemented and characterized. Individual nerve cells from the snail Lymnaea stagnalis were immobilized on a silicon chip by microscopic picket fences of polyimide. The cells formed a network with electrical synapses after outgrowth in brain conditioned medium. Pairs of neurons were electronically interfaced for noninvasive stimulation and recording. Voltage pulses were applied to a capacitive stimulator on the chip to excite the attached neuron. Signals were transmitted in the neuronal net and elicited an action potential in a second neuron. The postsynaptic excitation modulated the current of a transistor on the chip. The implementation of the silicon-neuron-neuron-silicon circuit constitutes a proof-of-principle experiment for the development of neuroelectronic systems to be used in studies on neuronal signal processing, neurocomputation, and neuroprosthetics.
Zeck
G
G
Department of Membrane and Neurophysics, Max Planck Institute for Biochemistry, D 82152 Martinsried/Munich, Germany.
Fromherz
P
P
D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018914:Cells, Immobilized; D004594:Electrophysiology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008195:Lymnaea / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D009446:Neurobiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D012666:Semiconductors; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013569:Synapses / Q000502:physiology