Sculpting neurotransmission during synaptic development by 2D nanostructured interfaces

Abstract

Carbon nanotube-based biomaterials critically contribute to the design of many prosthetic devices, with a particular impact in the development of bioelectronics components for novel neural interfaces. These nanomaterials combine excellent physical and chemical properties with peculiar nanostructured topography, thought to be crucial to their integration with neural tissue as long-term implants. The junction between carbon nanotubes and neural tissue can be particularly worthy of scientific attention and has been reported to significantly impact synapse construction in cultured neuronal networks. In this framework, the interaction of 2D carbon nanotube platforms with biological membranes is of paramount importance. Here we study carbon nanotube ability to interfere with lipid membrane structure and dynamics in cultured hippocampal neurons. While excluding that carbon nanotubes alter the homeostasis of neuronal membrane lipids, in particular cholesterol, we document in aged cultures an unprecedented functional integration between carbon nanotubes and the physiological maturation of the synaptic circuits.

Transparent carbon nanotubes promote the outgrowth of enthorino‐dentate projections in lesioned organ slice cultures

“…Hippocampal dissociated cultures interfaced to tCNTs were characterized by CNS cell densities and neuron/glia ratios comparable to Controls; the viability of neurons on tCNTs was also supported by the values of the cell passive membrane properties, accepted indicators of neuronal health (Carp, 1992; Gao, Liu, Li, & Wang, 2015). Despite the similarities in network size, tCNTs neurons displayed increased synaptic activity, probably due to the described synaptogenic effects of CNTs, acting as artificial biomimetic clues (Cellot et al, 2011; Pampaloni et al, 2018; Rago et al, 2019).…”

BDNF impact on synaptic dynamics: extra or intracellular long-term release differently regulates cultured hippocampal synapses

“…Spontaneous postsynaptic currents (PSCs) were recorded using single cell patch-clamp electrophysiology to monitor the activity of the networks grown for 8~10 days in Control and BDNF-treated cultures. The appearance of PSCs provides clear evidence of functional synapse formation [42,43] and we selected a time in vitro at which synaptic currents are present, but characterized by a relatively low frequency [44,45]. Figure 1a, (top), shows representative current tracings depicting the basal synaptic activity in cultured neurons.…”

“…1b, right). In cultured hippocampal networks, neurons typically display either GABA A or glutamate AMPA receptor-mediated PSCs [46,47], which were both detected as inward currents in our recording conditions (see methods) [42,45]. Thus, we identified the different populations of PSCs on the basis of their kinetic properties and pharmacology [42,48].…”

Advances in Nano Neuroscience: From Nanomaterials to Nanotools

“…Since then, the use of CNTs to interface cell growth has increased and has been further investigated. Today, we know for instance that CNTs affect neurons at single-cell level, likely establishing a neuron-substrate electrical coupling, and also increasing GABAergic and Glutamatergic synaptogenesis and heterogeneous short-term synaptic plasticity (Figure 2, middle) (Cellot et al, 2009, 2011; Pampaloni et al, 2017).…”