Silicon scaffolds promoting three-dimensional neuronal web of cytoplasmic processes.

Primary neurons were grown on structured silicon (Si) substrates, in the absence of chemotropic factors or synthetic extracellular matrix. The Si substrates used for the study comprise hierarchical structures in the micro- and nanolength scales. The substrates were structured via femtosecond laser irradiation of the Si wafer, in a reactive SF(6) environment. Electron microscopy revealed that the neurons formed an elaborate web of cytoplasmic processes in the absence of glial elements. The neuronal cytoplasm autografted the depth of the spikes, and the neurite sprouting took place over the spikes surface. Here we demonstrate how microfabrication of a Si surface provides an excellent platform for multifaceted studies of neuronal specimens.

[1]  Architecture et Fonction des Macromolécules Biologiques,et al.  Addendum: Protein production and purification , 2008, Nature Methods.

[2]  Robert L Sah,et al.  Probing the role of multicellular organization in three-dimensional microenvironments , 2006, Nature Methods.

[3]  The effect of surface chemistry and nanotopography of titanium nitride (TiN) films on primary hippocampal neurones. , 2004, Biomaterials.

[4]  Julian H. George,et al.  Exploring and Engineering the Cell Surface Interface , 2005, Science.

[5]  Samuel K Sia,et al.  In situ collagen assembly for integrating microfabricated three-dimensional cell-seeded matrices. , 2008, Nature materials.

[6]  A. Frankfurter,et al.  The expression and posttranslational modification of a neuron-specific beta-tubulin isotype during chick embryogenesis. , 1990, Cell motility and the cytoskeleton.

[7]  Claire Wyart,et al.  Colloid-guided assembly of oriented 3D neuronal networks , 2008, Nature Methods.

[8]  T. Young,et al.  The effect of gallium nitride on long-term culture induced aging of neuritic function in cerebellar granule cells. , 2008, Biomaterials.

[9]  N. Kotov,et al.  Three-dimensional cell culture matrices: state of the art. , 2008, Tissue engineering. Part B, Reviews.

[10]  Y. Tai,et al.  The neurochip: a new multielectrode device for stimulating and recording from cultured neurons , 1999, Journal of Neuroscience Methods.

[11]  Grace N Li,et al.  Neurite bridging across micropatterned grooves. , 2006, Biomaterials.

[12]  P C Letourneau,et al.  Neurite extension across regions of low cell-substratum adhesivity: implications for the guidepost hypothesis of axonal pathfinding. , 1986, Developmental biology.

[13]  Nic D. Leipzig,et al.  Promoting neuron adhesion and growth , 2008 .

[14]  Costas Fotakis,et al.  Biomimetic Artificial Surfaces Quantitatively Reproduce the Water Repellency of a Lotus Leaf , 2008 .

[15]  Jean-Pierre Eckmann,et al.  The physics of living neural networks , 2007, 1007.5465.

[16]  Saida P. Khan,et al.  Influence of nanoscale surface roughness on neural cell attachment on silicon. , 2005, Nanomedicine : nanotechnology, biology, and medicine.

[17]  Lars Montelius,et al.  Gallium phosphide nanowires as a substrate for cultured neurons. , 2007, Nano letters.