Microfluidic Neuronal Culture Platform for Neuroscience Research

Noo Li Jeon

University of California, Irvine

This presentation will describe a novel microfluidic neuronal culture platform that combines microfabrication and surface micropatterning approaches to create a multi-compartment device that can be used in a number of neuroscience applications. The device is fabricated in poly(dimethylsiloxane), PDMS, and is compatible with live-cell and fluorescence microscopy methods. A replica-molded PDMS piece is placed on a substrate, forming two or more fluidically isolated compartments. These compartments are separated by a physical barrier in which a number of micron-size grooves are embedded to allow growth of neurites across the compartments while maintaining fluidic isolation. We have successfully used this device to culture primary rat cortical and hippocampal neurons for upto 3 weeks. We also use microfluidics-compatible surface micropatterning approach to facilitate identification and visualization of neurons. The ability to direct sites of neuronal attachment and orientation of axon outgrowth by micropatterning techniques, combined with fluidically isolated compartments within the culture area offer significant advantages over standard open culture methods and other conventional methods for manipulating distinct neuronal microenvironments.