title: A device for co-culturing autonomic neurons and cardiomyocytes using micro-fabrication techniques.
abstract: It is still unclear how the activity of sympathetic and parasympathetic neurons influences the activity of cardiomyocytes in culture. We developed a device for co-culturing sympathetic neurons, parasympathetic neurons, and cardiomyocytes using micro-fabrication techniques. Morphological connections between each type of autonomic neuron and the cardiomyocytes were observed by immunostaining. The inter-beat-interval (IBI) of the cardiomyocytes was modulated after electrically stimulating each type of autonomic neuron. Modulation of the IBI was blocked by the addition of pharmacological blockers to the culture medium. These results suggest that the co-culture device can be utilized to understand how the activity of sympathetic neurons and parasympathetic neurons influences the activity of cardiomyocytes in the culture environment.
authors: Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Room 1122, Faculty of Engineering Building 14, 7-3-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan. oiwa@neuron.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp.
authors: Kosuke
authors: K
authors: Oiwa
authors: Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Room 1122, Faculty of Engineering Building 14, 7-3-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan. oiwa@neuron.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp.
authors: Kenta
authors: K
authors: Shimba
authors: Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Room 1122, Faculty of Engineering Building 14, 7-3-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan. oiwa@neuron.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp and Hitachi, Ltd, Research & Development Group, Center for Exploratory Research, 2520, Akanuma, Hatoyama, Saitama 350-0395, Japan.
authors: Takashi
authors: T
authors: Numata
authors: Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Room 1122, Faculty of Engineering Building 14, 7-3-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan. oiwa@neuron.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp.
authors: Akimasa
authors: A
authors: Takeuchi
authors: Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1, Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8904, Japan and PRESTO, Japan Science and Technology Agency, 4-1-8, Honcho, Kawaguchi-shi, Saitama 332-0012, Japan.
authors: Kiyoshi
authors: K
authors: Kotani
authors: Department of Precision Engineering, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan.
authors: Yasuhiko
authors: Y
authors: Jimbo
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials; D000818:Animals; D018920:Coculture Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D055724:Electrophysiological Phenomena; D004867:Equipment Design; D005071:Evoked Potentials; D005726:Ganglia, Parasympathetic / Q000166:cytology; D055616:Microtechnology / Q000379:methods; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017783:Superior Cervical Ganglion / Q000166:cytology