title: Retinal synaptic regeneration via microfluidic guiding channels.
abstract: In vitro culture of dissociated retinal neurons is an important model for investigating retinal synaptic regeneration (RSR) and exploring potentials in artificial retina. Here, retinal precursor cells were cultured in a microfluidic chip with multiple arrays of microchannels in order to reconstruct the retinal neuronal synapse. The cultured retinal cells were physically connected through microchannels. Activation of electric signal transduction by the cells through the microchannels was demonstrated by administration of glycinergic factors. In addition, an image-based analytical method was used to quantify the synaptic connections and to assess the kinetics of synaptic regeneration. The rate of RSR decreased significantly below 100 μM of inhibitor glycine and then approached to a relatively constant level at higher concentrations. Furthermore, RSR was enhanced by chemical stimulation with potassium chloride. Collectively, the microfluidic synaptic regeneration chip provides a novel tool for high-throughput investigation of RSR at the cellular level and may be useful in quality control of retinal precursor cell transplantation.
authors: Department of Nanomedicine, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA.|Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY 10065, USA.
authors: Ping-Jung
authors: PJ
authors: Su
authors: Department of Nanomedicine, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA.|Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY 10065, USA.
authors: Zongbin
authors: Z
authors: Liu
authors: Department of Nanomedicine, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA.|Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY 10065, USA.
authors: Kai
authors: K
authors: Zhang
authors: Department of Nanomedicine, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA.|Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY 10065, USA.
authors: Xin
authors: X
authors: Han
authors: Department of Nanomedicine, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors: Yuki
authors: Y
authors: Saito
authors: Department of Nanomedicine, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors: Xiaojun
authors: X
authors: Xia
authors: Department of Nanomedicine, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors: Kenji
authors: K
authors: Yokoi
authors: Department of Nanomedicine, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors: Haifa
authors: H
authors: Shen
authors: Department of Nanomedicine, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA.|Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY 10065, USA.|Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors: Lidong
authors: L
authors: Qin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D032701:Biomimetics; D005998:Glycine / Q000494:pharmacology; D044085:Microfluidics / Q000379:methods*; D011189:Potassium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012038:Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects; D012160:Retina / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D013569:Synapses / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D011189:Potassium Chloride; D005998:Glycine