title: A lysinated thiophene-based semiconductor as a multifunctional neural bioorganic interface.
abstract: Lysinated molecular organic semiconductors are introduced as valuable multifunctional platforms for neural cells growth and interfacing. Cast films of quaterthiophene (T4) semiconductor covalently modified with lysine-end moieties (T4Lys) are fabricated and their stability, morphology, optical/electrical, and biocompatibility properties are characterized. T4Lys films exhibit fluorescence and electronic transport as generally observed for unsubstituted oligothiophenes combined to humidity-activated ionic conduction promoted by the charged lysine-end moieties. The Lys insertion in T4 enables adhesion of primary culture of rat dorsal root ganglion (DRG), which is not achievable by plating cells on T4. Notably, on T4Lys, the number on adhering neurons/area is higher and displays a twofold longer neurite length than neurons plated on glass coated with poly-l-lysine. Finally, by whole-cell patch-clamp, it is shown that the biofunctionality of neurons cultured on T4Lys is preserved. The present study introduces an innovative concept for organic material neural interface that combines optical and iono-electronic functionalities with improved biocompatibility and neuron affinity promoted by Lys linkage and the softness of organic semiconductors. Lysinated organic semiconductors could set the scene for the fabrication of simplified bioorganic devices geometry for cells bidirectional communication or optoelectronic control of neural cells biofunctionality.
authors.affiliation: Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Istituto per lo Studio dei Materiali Nanostrutturati (ISMN), via Gobetti, 101, 40129, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bonetti
authors.affiliation: Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Istituto per lo Studio dei Materiali Nanostrutturati (ISMN), via Gobetti, 101, 40129, Bologna, Italy.|Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Istituto per la Sintesi Organica e la Fotoreattività (ISOF), via Gobetti, 101, 40129, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Assunta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pistone
authors.affiliation: Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Istituto per lo studio dei Materiali Nanostrutturati (ISMN), Area della Ricerca Roma1, Via Salaria km 29.3, 00015, Monterotondo, Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brucale
authors.affiliation: Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Istituto per lo Studio dei Materiali Nanostrutturati (ISMN), via Gobetti, 101, 40129, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Saskia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Karges
authors.affiliation: Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Istituto per la Sintesi Organica e la Fotoreattività (ISOF), via Gobetti, 101, 40129, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Favaretto
authors.affiliation: Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Istituto per la Sintesi Organica e la Fotoreattività (ISOF), via Gobetti, 101, 40129, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zambianchi
authors.affiliation: Laboratory MIST E-R, Via Gobetti 101, 40129, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Tamara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Posati
authors.affiliation: Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Istituto per la Sintesi Organica e la Fotoreattività (ISOF), via Gobetti, 101, 40129, Bologna, Italy.|Laboratory MIST E-R, Via Gobetti 101, 40129, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sagnella
authors.affiliation: Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Istituto per lo Studio dei Materiali Nanostrutturati (ISMN), via Gobetti, 101, 40129, Bologna, Italy.|Department of Pharmacy and BioTechnology, University of Bologna, Via S. Donato 19/2, 40127, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Caprini
authors.affiliation: Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Istituto per lo Studio dei Materiali Nanostrutturati (ISMN), via Gobetti, 101, 40129, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Toffanin
authors.affiliation: Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Istituto per la Sintesi Organica e la Fotoreattività (ISOF), via Gobetti, 101, 40129, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zamboni
authors.affiliation: Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Istituto per la Sintesi Organica e la Fotoreattività (ISOF), via Gobetti, 101, 40129, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Camaioni
authors.affiliation: Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Istituto per lo Studio dei Materiali Nanostrutturati (ISMN), via Gobetti, 101, 40129, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Muccini
authors.affiliation: Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Istituto per la Sintesi Organica e la Fotoreattività (ISOF), via Gobetti, 101, 40129, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Melucci
authors.affiliation: Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Istituto per la Sintesi Organica e la Fotoreattività (ISOF), via Gobetti, 101, 40129, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Benfenati
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D008239:Lysine / Q000737:chemistry; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D015394:Molecular Structure; D016501:Neurites / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D012666:Semiconductors; D013499:Surface Properties; D013876:Thiophenes / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D013876:Thiophenes; D008239:Lysine
keywords: DRG neurons; biomodification; ion channels; oligothiophenes; organic bioelectronics; semiconductors