title: Neuron-semiconductor chip with chemical synapse between identified neurons.
abstract: Noninvasive electrical stimulation and recording of neuronal networks from semiconductor chips is a prerequisite for the development of neuroelectronic devices. In a proof-of-principle experiment, we implemented the fundamental element of such future hybrids by joining a silicon chip with an excitatory chemical synapse between a pair of identified neurons from the pond snail. We stimulated the presynaptic cell (VD4) with a chip capacitor and recorded the activity of the postsynaptic cell (LPeD1) with a transistor. We enhanced the strength of the soma-soma synapse by repetitive capacitor stimulation, establishing a neuronal memory on the silicon chip.
authors.affiliation: Department of Membrane and Neurophysics, Max Planck Institute for Biochemistry, Martinsried/Munich, Germany 82152.
authors.forename: R Alexander
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Kaul
authors.forename: Naweed I
authors.initials: NI
authors.lastname: Syed
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fromherz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002799:Cholinergic Fibers / Q000502:physiology; D008195:Lymnaea / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D012666:Semiconductors; D013569:Synapses / Q000502:physiology*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission