Quantitative Control of Neuron Adhesion at a Neural Interface Using a Conducting Polymer Composite with Low Electrical Impedance

Abstract

Tailoring cell response on an electrode surface is essential in the application of neural interfaces. In this paper, a method of controlling neuron adhesion on the surface of an electrode was demonstrated using a conducting polymer composite as an electrode coating. The electrodeposited coating was functionalized further with biomolecules-of-interest (BOI), with their surface concentration controlled via repetition of carbodiimide chemistry. The result was an electrode surface that promoted localized adhesion of primary neurons, the density of which could be controlled quantitatively via changes in the number of layers of BOI added. Important to neural interfaces, it was found that additional layers of BOI caused an insignificant increase in the electrical impedance, especially when compared to the large drop in impedance upon coating of the electrode with the conducting polymer composite.

Graphene Functionalized Scaffolds Reduce the Inflammatory Response and Supports Endogenous Neuroblast Migration when Implanted in the Adult Brain

“…Recently, scaffolds for neuronal tissue engineering have been rendered electroactive, using materials such as poly-(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) and graphene. This treatment supports electrical interactions within neuronal cell networks, and improves cell guidance [ 16 – 22 ]. Graphene-based materials are already widely used in biomedical applications, such as cell and tissue imaging [ 23 – 25 ], cancer therapy [ 26 – 28 ] and neuronal tissue regeneration [ 17 , 29 , 30 ].…”

Strategies for regeneration of components of nervous system: scaffolds, cells and biomolecules

“…PC12 cells, stimulated with a potential of 10 mV/cm on PPy-PLGA scaffolds, exhibited 40–50% longer neurites and 40–90% more neurite formation compared with unstimulated cells on the same scaffolds [ 109 ]. Neurite extension area was increased when photoresist patterns were doped with electrically conductive polymers, PPy as well as conjugated NGF and poly- l -lysine/laminin [ 151 , 152 ]. Nerve stem cells cultured on blended PLLA/PANi (85:15) scaffolds exhibited extended neurite outgrowth after 60 min of in vitro electrical stimulation using electric field of 100 mV/mm, which was not observed for cells cultured on nonstimulated scaffolds.…”

CHAPTER 8. Bioactive Conducting Polymers for Optimising the Neural Interface

“…14 Other models used include primary neural tissue explants, typically neurons and glial cells. [15][16][17] Studies have shown that a range of factors affect in vitro neural cell response to conducting polymers, including synthesis technique, film roughness and morphology as well as dopant chemistry and mobility. 3 TIP: PC12 is a non-adherent cell line which will differentiate and grow neuronal processes when cultured in low-serum media and exposed to nerve growth factor.…”