Large-scale topographical screen for investigation of physical neural-guidance cues.
A combinatorial approach was used to present primary neurons with a large library of topographical features in the form of micropatterned substrate for high-throughput screening of physical neural-guidance cues that can effectively promote different aspects of neuronal development, including axon and dendritic outgrowth. Notably, the neuronal-guidance capability of specific features was automatically identified using a customized image processing software, thus significantly increasing the screening throughput with minimal subjective bias. Our results indicate that the anisotropic topographies promote axonal and in some cases dendritic extension relative to the isotropic topographies, while dendritic branching showed preference to plain substrates over the microscale features. The results from this work can be readily applied towards engineering novel biomaterials with precise surface topography that can serve as guidance conduits for neuro-regenerative applications. This novel topographical screening strategy combined with the automated processing capability can also be used for high-throughput screening of chemical or genetic regulatory factors in primary neurons.
1] Department of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China [2] Center for Biosystems, Neuroscience, and Nanotechnology, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Wei
W
Li
1] Department of Electronic Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China [2] Center for Biosystems, Neuroscience, and Nanotechnology, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Qing Yuan
QY
Tang
1] Department of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China [2] Center for Biosystems, Neuroscience, and Nanotechnology, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Amol D
AD
Jadhav
1] Department of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China [2] Center for Biosystems, Neuroscience, and Nanotechnology, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Ankit
A
Narang
1] Department of Electronic Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China [2] Center for Biosystems, Neuroscience, and Nanotechnology, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China [3] School of Electronic and Optical Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
Wei Xian
WX
Qian
1] Department of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China [2] Center for Biosystems, Neuroscience, and Nanotechnology, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China [3] Shenzhen Research Institute, City University of Hong Kong Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
Peng
P
Shi
1] Department of Electronic Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China [2] Center for Biosystems, Neuroscience, and Nanotechnology, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Stella W
SW
Pang
D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D003463:Cues; D003712:Dendrites / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D057166:High-Throughput Screening Assays; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D001672:Biocompatible Materials