title: Monitoring neural stem cell differentiation using PEDOT-PSS based MEA.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Transplantation is one potential clinical application of neural stem cells (NSCs). However, it is very difficult to monitor/control NSCs after transplantation and so provide effective treatment. Electrical measurement using a poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT-PSS) modified microelectrode array (MEA) is a biocompatible, non-invasive, non-destructive approach to understanding cell conditions. This property makes continuous monitoring available for the evaluation/assessment of the development of cells such as NSCs.
  
  
  METHODS
  A PEDOT-PSS modified MEA was used to monitor electrical signals during NSC development in a culture derived from rat embryo striatum in order to understand the NSC differentiation conditions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Electrical data indicated that NSCs with nerve growth factor (NGF) generate a cultured cortical neuron-like burst pattern while a random noise pattern was measured with epidermal growth factor (EGF) at 4days in vitro (DIV) and a burst pattern was observed in both cases at 11 DIV indicating the successful monitoring of differentiation differences and developmental changes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The electrical analysis of cell activity using a PEDOT-PSS modified MEA could indicate neural network formation by differentiated neurons. Changes in NSC differentiation could be monitored.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The method is based on non-invasive continuous measurement and so could prove a useful tool for the primary/preliminary evaluation of a pharmaceutical analysis. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Organic Bioelectronics-Novel Applications in Biomedicine.
authors: NTT Basic Research Laboratories, NTT Corporation, Japan.
authors: Yuriko
authors: Y
authors: Furukawa
authors: Akiyoshi
authors: A
authors: Shimada
authors: Koichi
authors: K
authors: Kato
authors: Hiroo
authors: H
authors: Iwata
authors: Keiichi
authors: K
authors: Torimitsu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D008839:Microelectrodes; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D058953:Neural Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D011137:Polystyrenes / Q000737:chemistry*; D011189:Potassium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013876:Thiophenes / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D011137:Polystyrenes; D013876:Thiophenes; C533756:poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrenesulfonate); D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D011189:Potassium Chloride; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor; D002118:Calcium