Cultured groups of neurons and even brain organoids are now routine in neuroscience research, and yet the connections between individual neurons that materialize are effectively random. In order to be able to setup tightly controlled experiments in which the neuronal networks are precisely designed, a scientist needs a method to connect individual neurons together. Now researchers at University of Tokyo have done just that, wiring pairs of neurons together so that they “talk” to each other.
From the study abstract in journal Micromachines:
Here, we describe a method for controlling the axon and dendrite morphology of single primary-cultured neurons and assembling a neural circuit using mobile microplates. The microplates enabled morphological control of neurons by their shapes and bringing their ends into contact caused the formation of physical connections. Functional synapse formation at the connection was indicated by immunostaining of synapse-related proteins and intracellular Ca2+ imaging of neural activity. We believe that the method will be useful in engineering neural circuits with selected neurons and defined morphology.
Study in journal Micromachines: Assembly and Connection of Micropatterned Single Neurons for Neuronal Network Formation…
Via: University of Tokyo…