Development of a bench‐top device for parallel climate‐controlled recordings of neuronal cultures activity with microelectrode arrays. Issue 2 (10th September 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Regalia, Giulia; Biffi, Emilia; Achilli, Silvia; Ferrigno, Giancarlo; Menegon, Andrea; Pedrocchi, Alessandra
• Is Part Of: Biotechnology and bioengineering. Volume 113:Issue 2(2016)
• Page Start: 403
• Page End: 413
• Publication Date: 2015-09-10
• Subjects: environment control system -- microelectrode arrays -- neuronal cell culture -- prolonged recordings -- pharmacological screenings; Biotechnology -- Periodicals; Bioengineering -- Periodicals; 660.6
• DOI: 10.1002/bit.25811
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0006-3592

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Two binding requirements for in vitro studies on long‐term neuronal networks dynamics are (i) finely controlled environmental conditions to keep neuronal cultures viable and provide reliable data for more than a few hours and (ii) parallel operation on multiple neuronal cultures to shorten experimental time scales and enhance data reproducibility. In order to fulfill these needs with a Microelectrode Arrays (MEA)‐based system, we designed a stand‐alone device that permits to uninterruptedly monitor neuronal cultures activity over long periods, overcoming drawbacks of existing MEA platforms. We integrated in a single device: (i) a closed chamber housing four MEAs equipped with access for chemical manipulations, (ii) environmental control systems and embedded sensors to reproduce and remotely monitor the standard in vitro culture environment on the lab bench (i.e. in terms of temperature, air CO2 and relative humidity), and (iii) a modular MEA interface analog front‐end for reliable and parallel recordings. The system has been proven to assure environmental conditions stable, physiological and homogeneos across different cultures. Prolonged recordings (up to 10 days) of spontaneous and pharmacologically stimulated neuronal culture activity have not shown signs of rundown thanks to the environmental stability and have not required to withdraw the cells from the chamber for culture medium manipulations. This system represents an effective MEA‐based solution to elucidate neuronal network phenomena with slow dynamics, such as long‐term plasticity, effects of chronic pharmacological stimulations or late‐onset pathological mechanisms. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2016;113: 403–413. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Abstract : A novel device has been developed to measure the electrophysiological activity of neuronal cell cultures with Microelectrode Arrays (MEAs), which integrates environment control systems, in situ medium change and multi MEA recording electronics. The devised system provides the opportunity to continuously trace neuronal networks dynamics unfolding over long time scales outside an incubator and to perform parallel pharmacological tests guaranteeing identical experimental conditions across different cultures. The paper documents the system design, its characterization and validation with MEA recordings.