cone. [7,8] Topological cues such as stiffness, [4] hydrophobicity, [9] and modulation of the surrounding surface, for example, through variations in roughness [10,11] or through guiding barriers [12][13][14] and channels, [15][16][17][18][19][20] have also been found to be effective methods to direct the neurite outgrowth on artificial substrates.A significant drawback of classical 2D neuronal in vitro cultures is their inability to sufficiently mimic the distinct 3D connections in a nervous system. [21] Most of the standard lithography techniques are only available in 2D or 2.5D. [22] However, recent advances in micro-and nanoscale fabrication, especially direct laser writing by two-photon polymerization (2PP-DLW), now enable the construction of complex resist-based 3D substrates with feature sizes down to ≈150 nm. [23] Using 2PP-DLW, nearly any mechanically stable structure can be realized as real 3D culturing substrate consisting of a biocompatible polymer within only a few hours. 2PP-DLW has already been utilized for neuronal growth studies. [24][25][26][27][28][29] Note, while most of these applications try to mimic the natural brain environment to a certain structural degree, the adhesions spots of the cell somata and/or the direction of neurite outgrowth on 3D substrates have been statistical so far. As a first step toward 2PP-DLW application for neurite guidance, Turunen et al. used DLW in 2014 to print walls on planar glass substrates to form cavities and channels, and applied laminin with a microinjection system inside the neurocages. [27] The design lacked efficient cell confinement properties, but potential function of printed channels as neurite guides was shown.Other approaches, which enable in vitro neuronal network growth in a 3D environment in different ways, such as synthetic hydrogel platforms, [30][31][32] network growth on micro beads, [21,33] polymer scaffolds fabricated by gaseous salt leaching, [34,35] or microfibrous scaffolds [36] feature only statistically oriented network growth.Here, we present an approach for guided neuronal network growth that features single neurites specifically grown through rectangular tubes in a 3D scaffold. The design we show herein combines the tunability and the precision of a 3D design utilizing 2PP-DLW manufacturing with topologically and chemically predefined adhesion areas as well as guidance paths for While modern day integrated electronic circuits are essentially designed in a 2D fashion, the brain can be regarded as a 3D circuit. The thus enhanced connectivity enables much more complex signal processing as compared to conventional 2D circuits. Recent technological advances in the development of nano/microscale 3D structuring have led to the development of artificial neuron culturing platforms, which surpass the possibilities of classical 2D cultures. In this work, in vitro culturing of neuronal networks is demonstrated by determining predefined pathways through topological and chemical neurite guiding. Tailor-made culturing substrates of microtowers ...

Imprinted fluidic devices with nanochannels and transient inlets with smooth, gradually decreasing dimensions are used to analyze the flow of DNA single molecules.

Report on electrophysiologically intact cell cultures on vertically arranged nanowires as a tool for next generation cell/nanowire stimulation studies.

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Correction for ‘Culturing and patch clamping of Jurkat T cells and neurons on Al2O3 coated nanowire arrays of altered morphology’ by Jann Harberts et al., RSC Adv., 2019, 9, 11194–11201.

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In article number https://doi.org/10.1002/adbi.201800329, Robert H. Blick and co‐workers utilize the inherently given freedom of the 3D design feasible by two‐photon polymerization direct laser writing for the tailor‐made preparation of neuronal cell culture platforms. Specifically, the scaffold consists of microtowers connected to each other by free‐standing tubes. Neurite outgrowth is confined to specific pathways defined by the arrangement of tubes, enabling specific neuronal network design beyond 2D.