Probing electrical activity of single neurons based on ID nanostructures: From extra to intracellular interfacing

Abstract

The struggle against neurodegenerative diseases is one of the major challenges in the near future and the global understanding of these diseases goes through a better expertise at the single cell level of basic mechanisms involved in neuronal networks. We need to investigate closer to the cellular material and in this way, miniaturization of electronic components and emergence of nano-biotechnology open new perspectives. Indeed, we are now able to fabricate high sensitive nano-devices to follow neuronal activities. Here, we will present two different approaches to interface neurons, a first one based on a nano-FET for extracellular recordings and a second one using vertical nanowire arrays (nano-electrodes) for intracellular measurements.