Planar Patch Clamp Device for Neuron Network Formation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for forming neuron networks in vitro face challenges such as high neuron death rates due to inadequate recognition of adjacent neurons and inefficient seeding techniques, particularly in mammalian neurons, where neurons in liquid medium are prone to random migration and death within 2-3 days, and existing devices fail to restrict migration effectively while allowing network formation.
Innovation Solution
A culturing device with cell plating sections surrounded by protrusions on a flat plate, where the gaps between protrusions are wide enough to prevent neuronal cell body passage but allow recognition, and the plate surface is coated with an extracellular matrix substance, facilitating the formation of synaptic junctions between neurons, along with a neuron seeding device for simultaneous and efficient seeding of neurons across multiple sections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If neurons are cultured in liquid medium without migration restriction, then neuron survival is maintained, but neurons migrate randomly and fail to form proper networks
Solution Approach 1:
The culture plate is divided into multiple cell plating sections, each surrounded by protrusions that create isolated compartments. This segmentation restricts neuron migration to within each section while maintaining overall network formation capability across the plate, resolving the contradiction between survival and positional stability.
Solution Approach 2:
Protrusions are introduced as intermediary structures between the culture medium and neuron cell bodies. These protrusions physically guide and restrict neuron movement without directly contacting the neurons, allowing survival while preventing random migration through the gap between protrusions and plate surface.
2Stability of the object's composition
If narrow grooves are used to restrict neuron migration, then neuron position is controlled, but neuron death rate increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The culture environment is made non-uniform by introducing protrusions that create localized restricted zones. Each cell plating section has different physical characteristics (surrounded by protrusions) compared to the overall plate, providing local position control without creating harmful narrow grooves that would increase cell death.
3Productivity
If multiple neurons are seeded simultaneously in multiple sections, then seeding efficiency is improved, but precise placement in each section becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The plate is segmented into multiple cell plating sections with protrusions that act as physical guides. When neurons are seeded simultaneously across multiple sections, the protrusions in each section automatically guide and position the neurons correctly, maintaining high precision despite high-throughput parallel seeding.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables the stable formation of neuron networks with extended survival periods of neurons (up to 4 weeks) and efficient high-throughput seeding, allowing for accurate ion channel current measurement and imaging analysis without inhibiting network function.
Implementation Method 1
the plate surface is coated with an extracellular matrix substance, facilitating the formation of synaptic junctions between neurons
Data Source
AI summary
A planar patch clamp device is disclosed, which can be used for culturing a neuron in the device so as to form a neuron network, and detecting an electrical property of the neuron that forms the neuron network. The planar patch clamp device includes a plurality of protrusions formed on a first surface, an extracellular matrix forming substance which is coated on the peripheries of a through hole, and electrode sections.