title: Guided growth of neurons and glia using microfabricated patterns of parylene-C on a SiO2 background.
abstract: This paper describes a simple technique for the patterning of glia and neurons. The integration of neuronal patterning to Multi-Electrode Arrays (MEAs), planar patch clamp and silicon based 'lab on a chip' technologies necessitates the development of a microfabrication-compatible method, which will be reliable and easy to implement. In this study a highly consistent, straightforward and cost effective cell patterning scheme has been developed. It is based on two common ingredients: the polymer parylene-C and horse serum. Parylene-C is deposited and photo-lithographically patterned on silicon oxide (SiO(2)) surfaces. Subsequently, the patterns are activated via immersion in horse serum. Compared to non-activated controls, cells on the treated samples exhibited a significantly higher conformity to underlying parylene stripes. The immersion time of the patterns was reduced from 24 to 3h without compromising the technique. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis of parylene and SiO(2) surfaces before and after immersion in horse serum and gel based eluant analysis suggests that the quantity and conformation of proteins on the parylene and SiO(2) substrates might be responsible for inducing glial and neuronal patterning.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Integrative Physiology, School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Hugh Robson Building, George Square, Edinburgh, United Kingdom. edelivop@staffmail.ed.ac.uk
authors.forename: Evangelos
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Delivopoulos
authors.forename: Alan F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.forename: Nikki K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: MacLeod
authors.forename: John C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Curtis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006736:Horses; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D055616:Microtechnology / Q000379:methods*; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000166:cytology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology*; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D044967:Serum; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry*; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods; D014992:Xylenes / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D011108:Polymers; D014992:Xylenes; C011055:parylene; D012822:Silicon Dioxide