title: Spine-shaped gold protrusions improve the adherence and electrical coupling of neurons with the surface of micro-electronic devices.
abstract: Interfacing neurons with micro- and nano-electronic devices has been a subject of intense study over the last decade. One of the major problems in assembling efficient neuro-electronic hybrid systems is the weak electrical coupling between the components. This is mainly attributed to the fundamental property of living cells to form and maintain an extracellular cleft between the plasma membrane and any substrate to which they adhere. This cleft shunts the current generated by propagating action potentials and thus reduces the signal-to-noise ratio. Reducing the cleft thickness, and thereby increasing the seal resistance formed between the neurons and the sensing surface, is thus a challenge and could improve the electrical coupling coefficient. Using electron microscopic analysis and field potential recordings, we examined here the use of gold micro-structures that mimic dendritic spines in their shape and dimensions to improve the adhesion and electrical coupling between neurons and micro-electronic devices. We found that neurons cultured on a gold-spine matrix, functionalized by a cysteine-terminated peptide with a number of RGD repeats, readily engulf the spines, forming tight apposition. The recorded field potentials of cultured Aplysia neurons are significantly larger using gold-spine electrodes in comparison with flat electrodes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, The Life Sciences Institute, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Aviad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hai
authors.forename: Ada
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dormann
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shappir
authors.forename: Shlomo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yitzchaik
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bartic
authors.forename: Gustaaf
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Borghs
authors.forename: J P M
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Langedijk
authors.forename: Micha E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Spira
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001048:Aplysia; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D003545:Cysteine / Q000737:chemistry; D004566:Electrodes; D004581:Electronics; D004867:Equipment Design; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry*; D008854:Microscopy, Electron / Q000379:methods; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000737:chemistry; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry; D010587:Phagocytosis; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D009842:Oligopeptides; D010455:Peptides; D006046:Gold; C047981:arginyl-glycyl-aspartic acid; D003545:Cysteine