title: Micropatterning neuronal networks.
abstract: Spatially organised neuronal networks have wide reaching applications, including fundamental research, toxicology testing, pharmaceutical screening and the realisation of neuronal implant interfaces. Despite the large number of methods catalogued in the literature there remains the need to identify a method that delivers high pattern compliance, long-term stability and is widely accessible to neuroscientists. In this comparative study, aminated (polylysine/polyornithine and aminosilanes) and cytophobic (poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and methylated) material contrasts were evaluated. Backfilling plasma stencilled PEGylated substrates with polylysine does not produce good material contrasts, whereas polylysine patterned on methylated substrates becomes mobilised by agents in the cell culture media which results in rapid pattern decay. Aminosilanes, polylysine substitutes, are prone to hydrolysis and the chemistries prove challenging to master. Instead, the stable coupling between polylysine and PLL-g-PEG can be exploited: Microcontact printing polylysine onto a PLL-g-PEG coated glass substrate provides a simple means to produce microstructured networks of primary neurons that have superior pattern compliance during long term (>1 month) culture.
authors.affiliation: Leibniz-Institut für Analytische Wissenschaften - ISAS - e.V., 44139 Dortmund, Germany.
authors.forename: Heike
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hardelauf
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Waide
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sisnaiske
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jacob
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Hausherr
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Schöbel
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Janasek
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: van Thriel
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: West
mesh_terms: D000586:Amination; D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005898:Glass / Q000737:chemistry; D008745:Methylation; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000166:cytology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology*; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry*; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry*; D011107:Polylysine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry; D012821:Silanes / Q000737:chemistry; D013499:Surface Properties; D046888:Tissue Array Analysis / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D010455:Peptides; D012821:Silanes; C443714:polylysine-graft-(poly(ethylene glycol)); C008973:polyornithine; D011107:Polylysine; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols