title: Growing neuronal islands on multi-electrode arrays using an accurate positioning-μCP device.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Multi-electrode arrays (MEAs) allow non-invasive multi-unit recording in-vitro from cultured neuronal networks. For sufficient neuronal growth and adhesion on such MEAs, substrate preparation is required. Plating of dissociated neurons on a uniformly prepared MEA's surface results in the formation of spatially extended random networks with substantial inter-sample variability. Such cultures are not optimally suited to study the relationship between defined structure and dynamics in neuronal networks. To overcome these shortcomings, neurons can be cultured with pre-defined topology by spatially structured surface modification. Spatially structuring a MEA surface accurately and reproducibly with the equipment of a typical cell-culture laboratory is challenging.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this paper, we present a novel approach utilizing micro-contact printing (μCP) combined with a custom-made device to accurately position patterns on MEAs with high precision. We call this technique AP-μCP (accurate positioning micro-contact printing).
  
  
  METHODS
  Other approaches presented in the literature using μCP for patterning either relied on facilities or techniques not readily available in a standard cell culture laboratory, or they did not specify means of precise pattern positioning.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Here we present a relatively simple device for reproducible and precise patterning in a standard cell-culture laboratory setting. The patterned neuronal islands on MEAs provide a basis for high throughput electrophysiology to study the dynamics of single neurons and neuronal networks.
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck-Institute for Experimental Medicine, Dept. Molecular Biology of Neuronal Signals, Hermann-Rein-Str. 3, 37075 Göttingen, Germany; Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization, Dept. Nonlinear Dynamics, Am Faßberg 17, 37077 Göttingen, Germany; Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience, Göttingen, Germany; Bernstein Focus Neurotechnology, Göttingen, Germany; SFB-889 Cellular Mechanisms of Sensory Processing, Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Samhaber
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck-Institute for Experimental Medicine, Dept. Molecular Biology of Neuronal Signals, Hermann-Rein-Str. 3, 37075 Göttingen, Germany; Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization, Dept. Nonlinear Dynamics, Am Faßberg 17, 37077 Göttingen, Germany; Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience, Göttingen, Germany; Bernstein Focus Neurotechnology, Göttingen, Germany. Electronic address: manuel@nld.ds.mpg.de.
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schottdorf
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck-Institute for Experimental Medicine, Dept. Molecular Biology of Neuronal Signals, Hermann-Rein-Str. 3, 37075 Göttingen, Germany; Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization, Dept. Nonlinear Dynamics, Am Faßberg 17, 37077 Göttingen, Germany; Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience, Göttingen, Germany; Bernstein Focus Neurotechnology, Göttingen, Germany; SFB-889 Cellular Mechanisms of Sensory Processing, Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Ahmed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: El Hady
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck-Institute for Experimental Medicine, Dept. Molecular Biology of Neuronal Signals, Hermann-Rein-Str. 3, 37075 Göttingen, Germany; Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization, Dept. Nonlinear Dynamics, Am Faßberg 17, 37077 Göttingen, Germany; Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience, Göttingen, Germany; Bernstein Focus Neurotechnology, Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bröking
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Engineering, University of Applied Science, Würzburger Straße 45, 63743 Aschaffenburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Daus
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Engineering, University of Applied Science, Würzburger Straße 45, 63743 Aschaffenburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Christiane
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Thielemann
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck-Institute for Experimental Medicine, Dept. Molecular Biology of Neuronal Signals, Hermann-Rein-Str. 3, 37075 Göttingen, Germany; Bernstein Focus Neurotechnology, Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Stühmer
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization, Dept. Nonlinear Dynamics, Am Faßberg 17, 37077 Göttingen, Germany; Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience, Göttingen, Germany; Bernstein Focus Neurotechnology, Göttingen, Germany; SFB-889 Cellular Mechanisms of Sensory Processing, Göttingen, Germany; Faculty of Physics, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany. Electronic address: fred@nld.ds.mpg.de.
authors.forename: Fred
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wolf
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials; D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000502:physiology; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002452:Cell Count; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D004867:Equipment Design; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008839:Microelectrodes; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008858:Microscopy, Phase-Contrast; D055616:Microtechnology / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D011327:Printing / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D051381:Rats; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013499:Surface Properties
keywords: MEA; Patterning; μCP