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Shi D, Narayanan S, Woeppel K, Cui XT. Improving the Biocompatibility and Functionality of Neural Interface Devices with Silica Nanoparticles. Acc Chem Res 2024. [PMID: 38814586 DOI: 10.1021/acs.accounts.4c00160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
ConspectusNeural interface technologies enable bidirectional communication between the nervous system and external instrumentation. Advancements in neural interface devices not only open new frontiers for neuroscience research, but also hold great promise for clinical diagnosis, therapy, and rehabilitation for various neurological disorders. However, the performance of current neural electrode devices, often termed neural probes, is far from satisfactory. Glial scarring, neuronal degeneration, and electrode degradation eventually cause the devices to lose their connection with the brain. To improve the chronic performance of neural probes, efforts need to be made on two fronts: enhancing the physiochemical properties of the electrode materials and mitigating the undesired host tissue response.In this Account, we discuss our efforts in developing silica-nanoparticle-based (SiNP) coatings aimed at enhancing neural probe electrochemical properties and promoting device-tissue integration. Our work focuses on three approaches:(1) SiNPs' surface texturization to enhance biomimetic protein coatings for promoting neural integration. Through covalent immobilization, SiNP introduces biologically relevant nanotopography to neural probe surfaces, enhancing neuronal cell attachments and inhibiting microglia. The SiNP base coating further increases the binding density and stability of bioactive molecules such as L1CAM and facilitates the widespread dissemination of biomimetic coatings. (2) Doping SiNPs into conductive polymer electrode coatings improves the electrochemical properties and stability. As neural interface devices are moving to subcellular sizes to escape the immune response and high electrode site density to increase spatial resolution, the electrode sites need to be very small. The smaller electrode size comes at the cost of a high electrode impedance, elevated thermal noise, and insufficient charge injection capacity. Electrochemically deposited conductive polymer films reduce electrode impedance but do not endure prolonged electrical cycling. When incorporated into conductive polymer coatings as a dopant, the SiNP provides structural support for the polymer thin films, significantly increasing their stability and durability. Low interfacial impedance maintained by the conducting polymer/SiNP composite is critical for extended electrode longevity and effective charge injection in chronic neural stimulation applications. (3) Porous nanoparticles are used as drug carriers in conductive polymer coatings for local drug/neurochemical delivery. When triggered by external electrical stimuli, drug molecules and neurochemicals can be released in a controlled manner. Such precise focal manipulation of cellular and vascular behavior enables us to probe brain circuitry and develop therapeutic applications.We foresee tremendous opportunities for further advancing the functionality of SiNP coatings by incorporating new nanoscale components and integrating the coating with other design strategies. With an enriched nanoscale toolbox and optimized design strategies, we can create customizable multifunctional and multimodal neural interfaces that can operate at multiple spatial levels and seamlessly integrate with the host tissue for extended applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Delin Shi
- University of Pittsburgh, Department of Bioengineering, 4200 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
- Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, 4400 Fifth Avenue, Suite 115, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Sharada Narayanan
- University of Pittsburgh, Department of Bioengineering, 4200 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
- Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, 4400 Fifth Avenue, Suite 115, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Kevin Woeppel
- University of Pittsburgh, Department of Bioengineering, 4200 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
- Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, 4400 Fifth Avenue, Suite 115, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Xinyan Tracy Cui
- University of Pittsburgh, Department of Bioengineering, 4200 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
- Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, 4400 Fifth Avenue, Suite 115, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
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Nolta NF, Christensen MB, Tresco PA. Advanced age is not a barrier to chronic intracortical single-unit recording in rat cortex. Front Neurosci 2024; 18:1389556. [PMID: 38817909 PMCID: PMC11138162 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1389556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Available evidence suggests that as we age, our brain and immune system undergo changes that increase our susceptibility to injury, inflammation, and neurodegeneration. Since a significant portion of the potential patients treated with a microelectrode-based implant may be older, it is important to understand the recording performance of such devices in an aged population. Methods We studied the chronic recording performance and the foreign body response (FBR) to a clinically used microelectrode array implanted in the cortex of 18-month-old Sprague Dawley rats. Results and discussion To the best of our knowledge, this is the first preclinical study of its type in the older mammalian brain. Here, we show that single-unit recording performance was initially robust then gradually declined over a 12-week period, similar to what has been previously reported using younger adult rats and in clinical trials. In addition, we show that FBR biomarker distribution was similar to what has been previously described for younger adult rats implanted with multi-shank recording arrays in the motor cortex. Using a quantitative immunohistochemcal approach, we observed that the extent of astrogliosis and tissue loss near the recording zone was inversely related to recording performance. A comparison of recording performance with a younger cohort supports the notion that aging, in and of itself, is not a limiting factor for the clinical use of penetrating microelectrode recording arrays for the treatment of certain CNS disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas F. Nolta
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Michael B. Christensen
- Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
- Department of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Patrick A. Tresco
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
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Sturgill B, Hernandez-Reynoso AG, Druschel LN, Smith TJ, Boucher PE, Hoeferlin GF, Thai TTD, Jiang MS, Hess JL, Alam NN, Menendez DM, Duncan JL, Cogan SF, Pancrazio JJ, Capadona JR. Reactive Amine Functionalized Microelectrode Arrays Provide Short-Term Benefit but Long-Term Detriment to In Vivo Recording Performance. ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS 2024; 7:1052-1063. [PMID: 38290529 PMCID: PMC10880090 DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.3c01014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
Intracortical microelectrode arrays (MEAs) are used for recording neural signals. However, indwelling devices result in chronic neuroinflammation, which leads to decreased recording performance through degradation of the device and surrounding tissue. Coating the MEAs with bioactive molecules is being explored to mitigate neuroinflammation. Such approaches often require an intermediate functionalization step such as (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES), which serves as a linker. However, the standalone effect of this intermediate step has not been previously characterized. Here, we investigated the effect of coating MEAs with APTES by comparing APTES-coated to uncoated controls in vivo and ex vivo. First, we measured water contact angles between silicon uncoated and APTES-coated substrates to verify the hydrophilic characteristics of the APTES coating. Next, we implanted MEAs in the motor cortex (M1) of Sprague-Dawley rats with uncoated or APTES-coated devices. We assessed changes in the electrochemical impedance and neural recording performance over a chronic implantation period of 16 weeks. Additionally, histology and bulk gene expression were analyzed to understand further the reactive tissue changes arising from the coating. Results showed that APTES increased the hydrophilicity of the devices and decreased electrochemical impedance at 1 kHz. APTES coatings proved detrimental to the recording performance, as shown by a constant decay up to 16 weeks postimplantation. Bulk gene analysis showed differential changes in gene expression between groups that were inconclusive with regard to the long-term effect on neuronal tissue. Together, these results suggest that APTES coatings are ultimately detrimental to chronic neural recordings. Furthermore, interpretations of studies using APTES as a functionalization step should consider the potential consequences if the final functionalization step is incomplete.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon
S. Sturgill
- Department
of Bioengineering, The University of Texas
at Dallas, 800 W. Campbell Road, Richardson, Texas 75080, United States
| | - Ana G. Hernandez-Reynoso
- Department
of Bioengineering, The University of Texas
at Dallas, 800 W. Campbell Road, Richardson, Texas 75080, United States
| | - Lindsey N. Druschel
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western
Reserve University. 10900 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, United States
- Advanced
Platform Technology Center, Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs
Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, United States
| | - Thomas J. Smith
- School
of Behavioral and BrainSciences, The University
of Texas at Dallas, 800 W. Campbell Road, Richardson, Texas 75080, United States
| | - Pierce E. Boucher
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western
Reserve University. 10900 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, United States
- Advanced
Platform Technology Center, Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs
Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, United States
| | - George F. Hoeferlin
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western
Reserve University. 10900 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, United States
- Advanced
Platform Technology Center, Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs
Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, United States
| | - Teresa Thuc Doan Thai
- Department
of Bioengineering, The University of Texas
at Dallas, 800 W. Campbell Road, Richardson, Texas 75080, United States
| | - Madison S. Jiang
- School
of Behavioral and BrainSciences, The University
of Texas at Dallas, 800 W. Campbell Road, Richardson, Texas 75080, United States
| | - Jordan L. Hess
- School
of Behavioral and BrainSciences, The University
of Texas at Dallas, 800 W. Campbell Road, Richardson, Texas 75080, United States
| | - Neeha N. Alam
- Department
of Bioengineering, The University of Texas
at Dallas, 800 W. Campbell Road, Richardson, Texas 75080, United States
| | - Dhariyat M. Menendez
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western
Reserve University. 10900 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, United States
- Advanced
Platform Technology Center, Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs
Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, United States
| | - Jonathan L. Duncan
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western
Reserve University. 10900 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, United States
- Advanced
Platform Technology Center, Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs
Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, United States
| | - Stuart F. Cogan
- Department
of Bioengineering, The University of Texas
at Dallas, 800 W. Campbell Road, Richardson, Texas 75080, United States
| | - Joseph J. Pancrazio
- Department
of Bioengineering, The University of Texas
at Dallas, 800 W. Campbell Road, Richardson, Texas 75080, United States
| | - Jeffrey R. Capadona
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western
Reserve University. 10900 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, United States
- Advanced
Platform Technology Center, Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs
Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, United States
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Aktas B, Ozgun A, Kilickap BD, Garipcan B. Cell adhesion molecule immobilized gold surfaces for enhanced neuron-electrode interfaces. J Biomed Mater Res B Appl Biomater 2024; 112:e35310. [PMID: 37950592 DOI: 10.1002/jbm.b.35310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Revised: 06/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
To provide a long-term solution for increasing the biocompatibility of neuroprosthetics, approaches to reduce the side effects of invasive neuro-implantable devices are still in need of improvement. Physical, chemical, and bioactive design aspects of the biomaterials are proven to be important for providing proper cell-to-cell, cell-to-material interactions. Particularly, modification of implant surfaces with bioactive cues, especially cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) that capitalize on native neural adhesion mechanisms, are promising candidates in favor of providing efficient interfaces. Within this concept, this study utilized specific CAMs, namely N-Cadherin (Neural cadherin, N-Cad) and neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM), to enhance neuron-electrode contact by mimicking the cell-to-ECM interactions for improving the survival of cells and promoting neurite outgrowth. For this purpose, representative gold electrode surfaces were modified with N-Cadherin, NCAM, and the mixture (1:1) of these molecules. Modifications were characterized, and the effect of surface modification on both differentiated and undifferentiated neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cell lines were compared. The findings demonstrated the successful modification of these molecules which subsequently exhibited biocompatible properties as evidenced by the cell viability results. In cell culture experiments, the CAMs displayed promising results in promoting neurite outgrowth compared to conventional poly-l-lysine coated surfaces, especially NCAM and N-Cad/NCAM modified surfaces clearly showed significant improvement. Overall, this optimized approach is expected to provide an insight into the action mechanisms of cells against the local environment and advance processes for the fabrication of alternative neural interfaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bengu Aktas
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Bogazici University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Alp Ozgun
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Bora Garipcan
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Bogazici University, Istanbul, Turkey
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5
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Jiao Y, Lei M, Zhu J, Chang R, Qu X. Advances in electrode interface materials and modification technologies for brain-computer interfaces. BIOMATERIALS TRANSLATIONAL 2023; 4:213-233. [PMID: 38282708 PMCID: PMC10817795 DOI: 10.12336/biomatertransl.2023.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
Recent advances in neuroelectrode interface materials and modification technologies are reviewed. Brain-computer interface is the new method of human-computer interaction, which not only can realise the exchange of information between the human brain and external devices, but also provides a brand-new means for the diagnosis and treatment of brain-related diseases. The neural electrode interface part of brain-computer interface is an important area for electrical, optical and chemical signal transmission between brain tissue system and external electronic devices, which determines the performance of brain-computer interface. In order to solve the problems of insufficient flexibility, insufficient signal recognition ability and insufficient biocompatibility of traditional rigid electrodes, researchers have carried out extensive studies on the neuroelectrode interface in terms of materials and modification techniques. This paper introduces the biological reactions that occur in neuroelectrodes after implantation into brain tissue and the decisive role of the electrode interface for electrode function. Following this, the latest research progress on neuroelectrode materials and interface materials is reviewed from the aspects of neuroelectrode materials and modification technologies, firstly taking materials as a clue, and then focusing on the preparation process of neuroelectrode coatings and the design scheme of functionalised structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunke Jiao
- Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Material Science and Engineering, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Miao Lei
- Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Material Science and Engineering, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Jianwei Zhu
- Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Material Science and Engineering, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Ronghang Chang
- Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Material Science and Engineering, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Xue Qu
- Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Material Science and Engineering, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
- Wenzhou Institute of Shanghai University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
- Shanghai Frontier Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, Shanghai, China
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6
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Boulingre M, Portillo-Lara R, Green RA. Biohybrid neural interfaces: improving the biological integration of neural implants. Chem Commun (Camb) 2023; 59:14745-14758. [PMID: 37991846 PMCID: PMC10720954 DOI: 10.1039/d3cc05006h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023]
Abstract
Implantable neural interfaces (NIs) have emerged in the clinic as outstanding tools for the management of a variety of neurological conditions caused by trauma or disease. However, the foreign body reaction triggered upon implantation remains one of the major challenges hindering the safety and longevity of NIs. The integration of tools and principles from biomaterial design and tissue engineering has been investigated as a promising strategy to develop NIs with enhanced functionality and performance. In this Feature Article, we highlight the main bioengineering approaches for the development of biohybrid NIs with an emphasis on relevant device design criteria. Technical and scientific challenges associated with the fabrication and functional assessment of technologies composed of both artificial and biological components are discussed. Lastly, we provide future perspectives related to engineering, regulatory, and neuroethical challenges to be addressed towards the realisation of the promise of biohybrid neurotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marjolaine Boulingre
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, South Kensington, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Roberto Portillo-Lara
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, South Kensington, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Rylie A Green
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, South Kensington, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
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7
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Woeppel K, Dhawan V, Shi D, Cui XT. Nanotopography-enhanced biomimetic coating maintains bioactivity after weeks of dry storage and improves chronic neural recording. Biomaterials 2023; 302:122326. [PMID: 37716282 PMCID: PMC10993103 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2023.122326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/18/2023]
Abstract
We developed a nanoparticle base layer technology capable of maintaining the bioactivity of protein-based neural probe coating intended to improve neural recording quality. When covalently bound on thiolated nanoparticle (TNP) modified surfaces, neural adhesion molecule L1 maintained bioactivity throughout 8 weeks of dry storage at room temperature, while those bound to unmodified surfaces lost 66% bioactivity within 3 days. We tested the TNP + L1 coating in mouse brains on two different neural electrode arrays after two different dry storage durations (3 and 28 days). The results show that dry-stored coating is as good as the freshly prepared, and even after 28 days of storage, the number of single units per channel and signal-to-noise ratio of the TNP + L1 coated arrays were significantly higher by 32% and 40% respectively than uncoated controls over 16 weeks. This nanoparticle base layer approach enables the dissemination of biomolecule-functionalized neural probes to users worldwide and may also benefit a broad range of applications that rely on surface-bound biomolecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Woeppel
- University of Pittsburgh, Department of Bioengineering, 4200 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15260, USA; Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, 4400 Fifth Avenue, Suite 115, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Vaishnavi Dhawan
- University of Pittsburgh, Department of Bioengineering, 4200 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15260, USA; Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, 4400 Fifth Avenue, Suite 115, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Delin Shi
- University of Pittsburgh, Department of Bioengineering, 4200 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15260, USA; Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, 4400 Fifth Avenue, Suite 115, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Xinyan Tracy Cui
- University of Pittsburgh, Department of Bioengineering, 4200 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15260, USA; Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, 4400 Fifth Avenue, Suite 115, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA; McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, 450 Technology Drive, Suite 300, Pittsburgh, PA, 15219, USA.
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8
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Perna A, Angotzi GN, Berdondini L, Ribeiro JF. Advancing the interfacing performances of chronically implantable neural probes in the era of CMOS neuroelectronics. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1275908. [PMID: 38027514 PMCID: PMC10644322 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1275908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Tissue penetrating microelectrode neural probes can record electrophysiological brain signals at resolutions down to single neurons, making them invaluable tools for neuroscience research and Brain-Computer-Interfaces (BCIs). The known gradual decrease of their electrical interfacing performances in chronic settings, however, remains a major challenge. A key factor leading to such decay is Foreign Body Reaction (FBR), which is the cascade of biological responses that occurs in the brain in the presence of a tissue damaging artificial device. Interestingly, the recent adoption of Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) technology to realize implantable neural probes capable of monitoring hundreds to thousands of neurons simultaneously, may open new opportunities to face the FBR challenge. Indeed, this shift from passive Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) to active CMOS neural probe technologies creates important, yet unexplored, opportunities to tune probe features such as the mechanical properties of the probe, its layout, size, and surface physicochemical properties, to minimize tissue damage and consequently FBR. Here, we will first review relevant literature on FBR to provide a better understanding of the processes and sources underlying this tissue response. Methods to assess FBR will be described, including conventional approaches based on the imaging of biomarkers, and more recent transcriptomics technologies. Then, we will consider emerging opportunities offered by the features of CMOS probes. Finally, we will describe a prototypical neural probe that may meet the needs for advancing clinical BCIs, and we propose axial insertion force as a potential metric to assess the influence of probe features on acute tissue damage and to control the implantation procedure to minimize iatrogenic injury and subsequent FBR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Perna
- Microtechnology for Neuroelectronics Lab, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Neuroscience and Brain Technologies, Genova, Italy
- The Open University Affiliated Research Centre at Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (ARC@IIT), Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
| | - Gian Nicola Angotzi
- Microtechnology for Neuroelectronics Lab, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Neuroscience and Brain Technologies, Genova, Italy
| | - Luca Berdondini
- Microtechnology for Neuroelectronics Lab, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Neuroscience and Brain Technologies, Genova, Italy
| | - João Filipe Ribeiro
- Microtechnology for Neuroelectronics Lab, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Neuroscience and Brain Technologies, Genova, Italy
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The Interactions of the 70 kDa Fragment of Cell Adhesion Molecule L1 with Topoisomerase 1, Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor γ and NADH Dehydrogenase (Ubiquinone) Flavoprotein 2 Are Involved in Gene Expression and Neuronal L1-Dependent Functions. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24032097. [PMID: 36768419 PMCID: PMC9916828 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The cell adhesion molecule L1 is essential not only for neural development, but also for synaptic functions and regeneration after trauma in adulthood. Abnormalities in L1 functions cause developmental and degenerative disorders. L1's functions critically depend on proteolysis which underlies dynamic cell interactions and signal transduction. We showed that a 70 kDa fragment (L1-70) supports mitochondrial functions and gene transcription. To gain further insights into L1-70's functions, we investigated several binding partners. Here we show that L1-70 interacts with topoisomerase 1 (TOP1), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) and NADH dehydrogenase (ubiquinone) flavoprotein 2 (NDUFV2). TOP1, PPARγ and NDUFV2 siRNAs reduced L1-dependent neurite outgrowth, and the topoisomerase inhibitors topotecan and irinotecan inhibited L1-dependent neurite outgrowth, neuronal survival and migration. In cultured neurons, L1 siRNA reduces the expression levels of the long autism genes neurexin-1 (Nrxn1) and neuroligin-1 (Nlgn1) and of the mitochondrially encoded gene NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase core subunit 2 (ND2). In mutant mice lacking L1-70, Nrxn1 and Nlgn1, but not ND2, mRNA levels are reduced. Since L1-70's interactions with TOP1, PPARγ and NDUFV2 contribute to the expression of two essential long autism genes and regulate important neuronal functions, we propose that L1 may not only ameliorate neurological problems, but also psychiatric dysfunctions.
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Wang Y, Yang X, Zhang X, Wang Y, Pei W. Implantable intracortical microelectrodes: reviewing the present with a focus on the future. MICROSYSTEMS & NANOENGINEERING 2023; 9:7. [PMID: 36620394 PMCID: PMC9814492 DOI: 10.1038/s41378-022-00451-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2022] [Revised: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Implantable intracortical microelectrodes can record a neuron's rapidly changing action potentials (spikes). In vivo neural activity recording methods often have either high temporal or spatial resolution, but not both. There is an increasing need to record more neurons over a longer duration in vivo. However, there remain many challenges to overcome before achieving long-term, stable, high-quality recordings and realizing comprehensive, accurate brain activity analysis. Based on the vision of an idealized implantable microelectrode device, the performance requirements for microelectrodes are divided into four aspects, including recording quality, recording stability, recording throughput, and multifunctionality, which are presented in order of importance. The challenges and current possible solutions for implantable microelectrodes are given from the perspective of each aspect. The current developments in microelectrode technology are analyzed and summarized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Optoelectronics, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100083 Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049 Beijing, China
| | - Xinze Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Optoelectronics, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100083 Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049 Beijing, China
| | - Xiwen Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Optoelectronics, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100083 Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049 Beijing, China
| | - Yijun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Optoelectronics, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100083 Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049 Beijing, China
- Chinese Institute for Brain Research, 102206 Beijing, China
| | - Weihua Pei
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Optoelectronics, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100083 Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049 Beijing, China
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11
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Savya SP, Li F, Lam S, Wellman SM, Stieger KC, Chen K, Eles JR, Kozai TDY. In vivo spatiotemporal dynamics of astrocyte reactivity following neural electrode implantation. Biomaterials 2022; 289:121784. [PMID: 36103781 PMCID: PMC10231871 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2022.121784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Revised: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Brain computer interfaces (BCIs), including penetrating microelectrode arrays, enable both recording and stimulation of neural cells. However, device implantation inevitably causes injury to brain tissue and induces a foreign body response, leading to reduced recording performance and stimulation efficacy. Astrocytes in the healthy brain play multiple roles including regulating energy metabolism, homeostatic balance, transmission of neural signals, and neurovascular coupling. Following an insult to the brain, they are activated and gather around the site of injury. These reactive astrocytes have been regarded as one of the main contributors to the formation of a glial scar which affects the performance of microelectrode arrays. This study investigates the dynamics of astrocytes within the first 2 weeks after implantation of an intracortical microelectrode into the mouse brain using two-photon microscopy. From our observation astrocytes are highly dynamic during this period, exhibiting patterns of process extension, soma migration, morphological activation, and device encapsulation that are spatiotemporally distinct from other glial cells, such as microglia or oligodendrocyte precursor cells. This detailed characterization of astrocyte reactivity will help to better understand the tissue response to intracortical devices and lead to the development of more effective intervention strategies to improve the functional performance of neural interfacing technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sajishnu P Savya
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Northwestern University, USA
| | - Fan Li
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Center for Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Computational Modeling & Simulation PhD Program, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Stephanie Lam
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Center for Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Steven M Wellman
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Center for Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Kevin C Stieger
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Center for Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Keying Chen
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Center for Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - James R Eles
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Center for Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Takashi D Y Kozai
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Center for Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; NeuroTech Center, University of Pittsburgh Brain Institute, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
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12
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Abend A, Steele C, Schmidt S, Frank R, Jahnke HG, Zink M. Neuronal and glial cell co-culture organization and impedance spectroscopy on nanocolumnar TiN films for lab-on-a-chip devices. Biomater Sci 2022; 10:5719-5730. [PMID: 36039696 DOI: 10.1039/d2bm01066f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Lab-on-a-chip devices, such as multielectrode arrays (MEAs), offer great advantages to study function and behavior of biological cells, such as neurons, outside the complex tissue structure. Nevertheless, in vitro systems can only succeed if they represent realistic conditions such as cell organization as similarly found in tissues. In our study, we employ a co-culture system of neuron-like (SH-SY5Y) and glial-like (U-87 MG) cells with various neuron-glial ratios to model different brain regions with different cellular compositions in vitro. We find that cell behavior in terms of cellular organization, as well as proliferation, depends on neuron-glial cell ratio, as well as the underlying substrate material. In fact, nanocolumnar titanium nitride (TiN nano), which exhibits improved electric properties for neural recording on MEA, shows improved biocompatible features compared to indium tin oxide (ITO). Moreover, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy experiments allow us to monitor cellular processes label-free in real-time over several days with multielectrode arrays. Additionally, electrochemical impedance experiments reveal superiority of TiN with nanocolumnar surface modification in comparison with ITO. TiN nano exhibits enhanced relative cell signals and improved signal-to-noise ratio, especially for smaller electrode sizes, which makes nanocolumnar TiN a promising candidate for research on neural recording and stimulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Abend
- Research Group Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Peter Debye Institute for Soft Matter Physics, Leipzig University, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Chelsie Steele
- Research Group Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Peter Debye Institute for Soft Matter Physics, Leipzig University, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Sabine Schmidt
- Centre for Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Molecular Biological-Biochemical Processing Technology, Leipzig University, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ronny Frank
- Centre for Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Molecular Biological-Biochemical Processing Technology, Leipzig University, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Heinz-Georg Jahnke
- Centre for Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Molecular Biological-Biochemical Processing Technology, Leipzig University, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Mareike Zink
- Research Group Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Peter Debye Institute for Soft Matter Physics, Leipzig University, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
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13
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Kushwah N, Woeppel K, Dhawan V, Shi D, Cui XT. Effects of neuronal cell adhesion molecule L1 and nanoparticle surface modification on microglia. Acta Biomater 2022; 149:273-286. [PMID: 35764240 PMCID: PMC10018678 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2022.06.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2022] [Revised: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Microelectrode arrays for neural recording suffer from low yield and stability partly due to the inflammatory host responses. A neuronal cell adhesion molecule L1 coating has been shown to promote electrode-neuron integration, reduce microglia activation and improve recording. Coupling L1 to surface via a nanoparticle (NP) base layer further increased the protein surface density and stability. However, the exact L1-microglia interaction in these coatings has not been studied. Here we cultured primary microglia on L1 modified surfaces (with and without NP) and characterized microglia activation upon phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation. Results showed L1 coatings reduced microglia's superoxide production in response to PMA and presented intrinsic antioxidant properties. Meanwhile, L1 decreased iNOS, NO, and pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF alpha, IL-6, IL-1 beta), while increased anti-inflammatory cytokines (TGF beta 1, IL-10) in LPS stimulated microglia. Furthermore, L1 increased Arg-1 expression and phagocytosis upon LPS stimulation. Rougher NP surface showed lower number of microglia attached per area than their smooth counterpart, lower IL-6 release and superoxide production, and higher intrinsic reducing potential. Finally, we examined the effect of L1 and nanoparticle modifications on microglia response in vivo over 8 weeks with 2-photon imaging. Microglial coverage on the implant surface was found to be lower on the L1 modified substrates relative to unmodified, consistent with the in vitro observation. Our results indicate L1 significantly reduces superoxide production and inflammatory response of microglia and promotes wound healing, while L1 immobilization via a nanoparticle base layer brings added benefit without adverse effects. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Surface modification of microelectrode arrays with L1 has been shown to reduce microglia coverage on neural probe surface in vivo and improves neural recording, but the specific mechanism of action is not fully understood. The results in this study show that surface bound L1 reduces superoxide production from cultured microglia via direct reduction reaction and signaling pathways, increases anti-inflammatory cytokine release and phagocytosis in response to PMA or LPS stimulation. Additionally, roughening the surface with nanoparticles prior to L1 immobilization further increased the benefit of L1 in reducing microglia activation and oxidative stress. Together, our findings shed light on the mechanisms of action of nanotextured and neuroadhesive neural implant coatings and guide future development of seamless tissue interface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neetu Kushwah
- Neural Tissue/Electrode Interface and Neural Tissue Engineering lab, Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, United States
| | - Kevin Woeppel
- Neural Tissue/Electrode Interface and Neural Tissue Engineering lab, Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, United States; Center for Neural Basis of Cognition, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, United States
| | - Vaishnavi Dhawan
- Neural Tissue/Electrode Interface and Neural Tissue Engineering lab, Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, United States; Center for Neural Basis of Cognition, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, United States
| | - Delin Shi
- Neural Tissue/Electrode Interface and Neural Tissue Engineering lab, Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, United States; Center for Neural Basis of Cognition, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, United States
| | - Xinyan Tracy Cui
- Neural Tissue/Electrode Interface and Neural Tissue Engineering lab, Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, United States; McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, United States; Center for Neural Basis of Cognition, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, United States.
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14
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Zheng XS, Yang Q, Vazquez A, Cui XT. Imaging the stability of chronic electrical microstimulation using electrodes coated with PEDOT/CNT and iridium oxide. iScience 2022; 25:104539. [PMID: 35769881 PMCID: PMC9234710 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic microstimulation is faced with challenges that require an additional understanding of stability and safety. We implanted silicon arrays coated with poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT)/Carbon Nanotubes (CNT), or PCand IrOx into the cortex of GCaMP6s mice and electrically stimulated them for up to 12 weeks. We quantified neuronal responses to stimulation using two-photon imaging and mesoscale fluorescence microscopy and characterized electrode performance over time. We observed dynamic changes in stimulation stability over time and a significant advantage in energy efficiency using PC coated electrodes over IrOx coated electrodes. In a subset of mice, we observed abnormal ictal cortical responses or cortical spreading depression using stimulation parameters commonly used in intracortical stimulation applications, suggesting the need to investigate the potential neuronal damage and redefine the stimulation safety limit. This study not only revealed the dynamic changes in stimulation efficiency after implantation but also reiterates the potential for PC as a high-efficiency material in chronic neuromodulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Sally Zheng
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, 5057 Biomedical Science Tower 3, 3501 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Qianru Yang
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, 5057 Biomedical Science Tower 3, 3501 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
- Center for Neural Basis of Cognition, 115 Mellon Institute, 4400 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Alberto Vazquez
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, 5057 Biomedical Science Tower 3, 3501 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
- Center for Neural Basis of Cognition, 115 Mellon Institute, 4400 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
- Department of Radiology, University of Pittsburgh, 200 Lothrop St, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
- McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, 3025 East Carson Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, USA
| | - Xinyan Tracy Cui
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, 5057 Biomedical Science Tower 3, 3501 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
- Center for Neural Basis of Cognition, 115 Mellon Institute, 4400 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
- McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, 3025 East Carson Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, USA
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15
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Dhawan V, Cui XT. Carbohydrate based biomaterials for neural interface applications. J Mater Chem B 2022; 10:4714-4740. [PMID: 35702979 DOI: 10.1039/d2tb00584k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Neuroprosthetic devices that record and modulate neural activities have demonstrated immense potential for bypassing or restoring lost neurological functions due to neural injuries and disorders. However, implantable electrical devices interfacing with brain tissue are susceptible to a series of inflammatory tissue responses along with mechanical or electrical failures which can affect the device performance over time. Several biomaterial strategies have been implemented to improve device-tissue integration for high quality and stable performance. Ranging from developing smaller, softer, and more flexible electrode designs to introducing bioactive coatings and drug-eluting layers on the electrode surface, such strategies have shown different degrees of success but with limitations. With their hydrophilic properties and specific bioactivities, carbohydrates offer a potential solution for addressing some of the limitations of the existing biomolecular approaches. In this review, we summarize the role of polysaccharides in the central nervous system, with a primary focus on glycoproteins and proteoglycans, to shed light on their untapped potential as biomaterials for neural implants. Utilization of glycosaminoglycans for neural interface and tissue regeneration applications is comprehensively reviewed to provide the current state of carbohydrate-based biomaterials for neural implants. Finally, we will discuss the challenges and opportunities of applying carbohydrate-based biomaterials for neural tissue interfaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vaishnavi Dhawan
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. .,Center for Neural Basis of Cognition, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Xinyan Tracy Cui
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. .,Center for Neural Basis of Cognition, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.,McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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16
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Flexible Neural Probes with Optical Artifact-Suppressing Modification and Biofriendly Polypeptide Coating. MICROMACHINES 2022; 13:mi13020199. [PMID: 35208323 PMCID: PMC8877708 DOI: 10.3390/mi13020199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Revised: 01/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The advent of optogenetics provides a well-targeted tool to manipulate neurons because of its high time resolution and cell-type specificity. Recently, closed-loop neural manipulation techniques consisting of optical stimulation and electrical recording have been widely used. However, metal microelectrodes exposed to light radiation could generate photoelectric noise, thus causing loss or distortion of neural signal in recording channels. Meanwhile, the biocompatibility of neural probes remains to be improved. Here, five kinds of neural interface materials are deposited on flexible polyimide-based neural probes and illuminated with a series of blue laser pulses to study their electrochemical performance and photoelectric noises for single-unit recording. The results show that the modifications can not only improve the electrochemical performance, but can also reduce the photoelectric artifacts. In particular, the double-layer composite consisting of platinum-black and conductive polymer has the best comprehensive performance. Thus, a layer of polypeptide is deposited on the entire surface of the double-layer modified neural probes to further improve their biocompatibility. The results show that the biocompatible polypeptide coating has little effect on the electrochemical performance of the neural probe, and it may serve as a drug carrier due to its special micromorphology.
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17
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Ozgun A, Lomboni D, Arnott H, Staines WA, Woulfe J, Variola F. Biomaterial-based strategies for in vitro neural models. Biomater Sci 2022; 10:1134-1165. [PMID: 35023513 DOI: 10.1039/d1bm01361k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
In vitro models have been used as a complementary tool to animal studies in understanding the nervous system's physiological mechanisms and pathological disorders, while also serving as platforms to evaluate the safety and efficiency of therapeutic candidates. Following recent advances in materials science, micro- and nanofabrication techniques and cell culture systems, in vitro technologies have been rapidly gaining the potential to bridge the gap between animal and clinical studies by providing more sophisticated models that recapitulate key aspects of the structure, biochemistry, biomechanics, and functions of human tissues. This was made possible, in large part, by the development of biomaterials that provide cells with physicochemical features that closely mimic the cellular microenvironment of native tissues. Due to the well-known material-driven cellular response and the importance of mimicking the environment of the target tissue, the selection of optimal biomaterials represents an important early step in the design of biomimetic systems to investigate brain structures and functions. This review provides a comprehensive compendium of commonly used biomaterials as well as the different fabrication techniques employed for the design of neural tissue models. Furthermore, the authors discuss the main parameters that need to be considered to develop functional platforms not only for the study of brain physiological functions and pathological processes but also for drug discovery/development and the optimization of biomaterials for neural tissue engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alp Ozgun
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada. .,Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - David Lomboni
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada. .,Ottawa-Carleton Institute for Biomedical Engineering (OCIBME), Ottawa, Canada
| | - Hallie Arnott
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada. .,Ottawa-Carleton Institute for Biomedical Engineering (OCIBME), Ottawa, Canada
| | - William A Staines
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - John Woulfe
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada.,The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Fabio Variola
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada. .,Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada.,Ottawa-Carleton Institute for Biomedical Engineering (OCIBME), Ottawa, Canada.,The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Canada.,Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO), Ottawa, Canada
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18
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Sharafkhani N, Kouzani AZ, Adams SD, Long JM, Lissorgues G, Rousseau L, Orwa JO. Neural tissue-microelectrode interaction: Brain micromotion, electrical impedance, and flexible microelectrode insertion. J Neurosci Methods 2022; 365:109388. [PMID: 34678387 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2021.109388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2021] [Revised: 10/17/2021] [Accepted: 10/17/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Insertion of a microelectrode into the brain to record/stimulate neurons damages neural tissue and blood vessels and initiates the brain's wound healing response. Due to the large difference between the stiffness of neural tissue and microelectrode, brain micromotion also leads to neural tissue damage and associated local immune response. Over time, following implantation, the brain's response to the tissue damage can result in microelectrode failure. Reducing the microelectrode's cross-sectional dimensions to single-digit microns or using soft materials with elastic modulus close to that of the neural tissue are effective methods to alleviate the neural tissue damage and enhance microelectrode longevity. However, the increase in electrical impedance of the microelectrode caused by reducing the microelectrode contact site's dimensions can decrease the signal-to-noise ratio. Most importantly, the reduced dimensions also lead to a reduction in the critical buckling force, which increases the microelectrode's propensity to buckling during insertion. After discussing brain micromotion, the main source of neural tissue damage, surface modification of the microelectrode contact site is reviewed as a key method for addressing the increase in electrical impedance issue. The review then focuses on recent approaches to aiding insertion of flexible microelectrodes into the brain, including bending stiffness modification, effective length reduction, and application of a magnetic field to pull the electrode. An understanding of the advantages and drawbacks of the developed strategies offers a guide for dealing with the buckling phenomenon during implantation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naser Sharafkhani
- School of Engineering, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC 3216, Australia.
| | - Abbas Z Kouzani
- School of Engineering, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC 3216, Australia
| | - Scott D Adams
- School of Engineering, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC 3216, Australia
| | - John M Long
- School of Engineering, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC 3216, Australia
| | | | | | - Julius O Orwa
- School of Engineering, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC 3216, Australia.
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19
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Shi D, Dhawan V, Cui XT. Bio-integrative design of the neural tissue-device interface. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2021; 72:54-61. [PMID: 34710753 PMCID: PMC8671324 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2021.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Revised: 09/19/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Neural implants enable bidirectional communications with nervous tissue and have demonstrated tremendous potential in research and clinical applications. To obtain high fidelity and stable information exchange, we need to minimize the undesired host responses and achieve intimate neuron-device interaction. This paper highlights the key bio-integrative strategies aimed at seamless integration through intelligent device designs to minimize the immune responses, as well as incorporate bioactive elements to actively modulate cellular reactions. These approaches span from surface modification and bioactive agent delivery, to biomorphic and biohybrid designs. Many of these strategies have shown effectiveness in functional outcome measures, others are exploratory but with fascinating potentials. The combination of bio-integrative strategies may synergistically promote the next generation of neural interfaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Delin Shi
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States; Center for Neural Basis of Cognition, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Vaishnavi Dhawan
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States; Center for Neural Basis of Cognition, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Xinyan Tracy Cui
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States; Center for Neural Basis of Cognition, Pittsburgh, PA, United States; McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States.
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20
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Kim D, Park D, Kim TH, Chung JJ, Jung Y, Kim SH. Substance P/Heparin-Conjugated PLCL Mitigate Acute Gliosis on Neural Implants and Improve Neuronal Regeneration via Recruitment of Neural Stem Cells. Adv Healthc Mater 2021; 10:e2100107. [PMID: 34227258 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202100107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2021] [Revised: 05/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The inflammatory host tissue response, characterized by gliosis and neuronal death at the neural interface, limits signal transmission and longevity of the neural probe. Substance P induces an anti-inflammatory response and neuronal regeneration and recruits endogenous stem cells. Heparin prevents nonspecific protein adsorption, suppresses the inflammatory response, and is beneficial to neuronal behavior. Poly(l-lactide-co-ε-caprolactone) (PLCL) is a soft and flexible polymer, and PLCL covalently conjugated with biomolecules has been widely used in tissue engineering. Coatings of heparin-conjugated PLCL (Hep-PLCL), substance P-conjugated PLCL (SP-PLCL), and heparin/substance P-conjugated PLCL (Hep/SP-PLCL) reduced the adhesion of astrocytes and fibroblasts and improved neuronal adhesion and neurite development compared to bare glass. The effects of these coatings are evaluated using immunohistochemistry analysis after implantation of coated stainless steel probes in rat brain for 1 week. In particular, Hep/SP-PLCL coating reduced the activation of microglia and astrocytes, the neuronal degeneration caused by inflammation, and indicated a potential for neuronal regeneration at the tissue-device interface. Suppression of the acute host tissue response by coating Hep/SP-PLCL could lead to improved functionality of the neural prosthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donghak Kim
- KU‐KIST Graduate School of Converging Science and Technology Korea University 145 Anam‐ro, Seongbuk‐gu Seoul 02841 Republic of Korea
- Biomaterials Research Center Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) 5, Hwarang‐ro 14‐gil, Seongbuk‐gu Seoul 02792 Republic of Korea
| | - DoYeun Park
- Biomaterials Research Center Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) 5, Hwarang‐ro 14‐gil, Seongbuk‐gu Seoul 02792 Republic of Korea
| | - Tae Hee Kim
- Biomaterials Research Center Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) 5, Hwarang‐ro 14‐gil, Seongbuk‐gu Seoul 02792 Republic of Korea
| | - Justin J. Chung
- Biomaterials Research Center Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) 5, Hwarang‐ro 14‐gil, Seongbuk‐gu Seoul 02792 Republic of Korea
| | - Youngmee Jung
- Biomaterials Research Center Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) 5, Hwarang‐ro 14‐gil, Seongbuk‐gu Seoul 02792 Republic of Korea
| | - Soo Hyun Kim
- KU‐KIST Graduate School of Converging Science and Technology Korea University 145 Anam‐ro, Seongbuk‐gu Seoul 02841 Republic of Korea
- Biomaterials Research Center Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) 5, Hwarang‐ro 14‐gil, Seongbuk‐gu Seoul 02792 Republic of Korea
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21
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Intracortical Microelectrode Array Unit Yield under Chronic Conditions: A Comparative Evaluation. MICROMACHINES 2021; 12:mi12080972. [PMID: 34442594 PMCID: PMC8400387 DOI: 10.3390/mi12080972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Revised: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
While microelectrode arrays (MEAs) offer the promise of elucidating functional neural circuitry and serve as the basis for a cortical neuroprosthesis, the challenge of designing and demonstrating chronically reliable technology remains. Numerous studies report “chronic” data but the actual time spans and performance measures corresponding to the experimental work vary. In this study, we reviewed the experimental durations that constitute chronic studies across a range of MEA types and animal species to gain an understanding of the widespread variability in reported study duration. For rodents, which are the most commonly used animal model in chronic studies, we examined active electrode yield (AEY) for different array types as a means to contextualize the study duration variance, as well as investigate and interpret the performance of custom devices in comparison to conventional MEAs. We observed wide-spread variance within species for the chronic implantation period and an AEY that decayed linearly in rodent models that implanted commercially-available devices. These observations provide a benchmark for comparing the performance of new technologies and highlight the need for consistency in chronic MEA studies. Additionally, to fully derive performance under chronic conditions, the duration of abiotic failure modes, biological processes induced by indwelling probes, and intended application of the device are key determinants.
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22
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Woeppel KM, Cui XT. Nanoparticle and Biomolecule Surface Modification Synergistically Increases Neural Electrode Recording Yield and Minimizes Inflammatory Host Response. Adv Healthc Mater 2021; 10:e2002150. [PMID: 34190425 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202002150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Revised: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Due to their ability to interface with neural tissues, neural electrodes are the key tool used for neurophysiological studies, electrochemical detection, brain computer interfacing, and countless neuromodulation therapies and diagnostic procedures. However, the long-term applications of neural electrodes are limited by the inflammatory host tissue response, decreasing detectable electrical signals, and insulating the device from the native environment. Surface modification methods are proposed to limit these detrimental responses but each has their own limitations. Here, a combinatorial approach is presented toward creating a stable interface between the electrode and host tissues. First, a thiolated nanoparticle (TNP) coating is utilized to increase the surface area and roughness. Next, the neural adhesion molecule L1 is immobilized to the nanoparticle modified substrate. In vitro, the combined nanotopographical and bioactive modifications (TNP+L1) elevate the bioactivity of L1, which is maintained for 28 d. In vivo, TNP+L1 modification improves the recording performance of the neural electrode arrays compared to TNP or L1 modification alone. Postmortem histology reveals greater neural cell density around the TNP+L1 coating while eliminating any inflammatory microglial encapsulation after 4 weeks. These results demonstrate that nanotopographical and bioactive modifications synergistically produce a seamless neural tissue interface for chronic neural implants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin M. Woeppel
- Department of Bioengineering University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh PA 15260 USA
- Center for the Neural basis of Cognition Pittsburgh PA 15260 USA
| | - Xinyan Tracy Cui
- Department of Bioengineering University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh PA 15260 USA
- Center for the Neural basis of Cognition Pittsburgh PA 15260 USA
- McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine Pittsburgh PA 15260 USA
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23
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Zheng XS, Tan C, Castagnola E, Cui XT. Electrode Materials for Chronic Electrical Microstimulation. Adv Healthc Mater 2021; 10:e2100119. [PMID: 34029008 PMCID: PMC8257249 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202100119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2021] [Revised: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Electrical microstimulation has enabled partial restoration of vision, hearing, movement, somatosensation, as well as improving organ functions by electrically modulating neural activities. However, chronic microstimulation is faced with numerous challenges. The implantation of an electrode array into the neural tissue triggers an inflammatory response, which can be exacerbated by the delivery of electrical currents. Meanwhile, prolonged stimulation may lead to electrode material degradation., which can be accelerated by the hostile inflammatory environment. Both material degradation and adverse tissue reactions can compromise stimulation performance over time. For stable chronic electrical stimulation, an ideal microelectrode must present 1) high charge injection limit, to efficiently deliver charge without exceeding safety limits for both tissue and electrodes, 2) small size, to gain high spatial selectivity, 3) excellent biocompatibility that ensures tissue health immediately next to the device, and 4) stable in vivo electrochemical properties over the application period. In this review, the challenges in chronic microstimulation are described in detail. To aid material scientists interested in neural stimulation research, the in vitro and in vivo testing methods are introduced for assessing stimulation functionality and longevity and a detailed overview of recent advances in electrode material research and device fabrication for improving chronic microstimulation performance is provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Sally Zheng
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, 3501 Fifth Ave. Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Chao Tan
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, 3501 Fifth Ave. Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Elisa Castagnola
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, 3501 Fifth Ave. Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Xinyan Tracy Cui
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, 3501 Fifth Ave. Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
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Sharon A, Jankowski MM, Shmoel N, Erez H, Spira ME. Inflammatory Foreign Body Response Induced by Neuro-Implants in Rat Cortices Depleted of Resident Microglia by a CSF1R Inhibitor and Its Implications. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:646914. [PMID: 33841088 PMCID: PMC8032961 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.646914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Inflammatory encapsulation of implanted cortical-neuro-probes [the foreign body response (FBR)] severely limits their use in basic brain research and in clinical applications. A better understanding of the inflammatory FBR is needed to effectively mitigate these critical limitations. Combining the use of the brain permeant colony stimulating factor 1 receptor inhibitor PLX5622 and a perforated polyimide-based multielectrode array platform (PPMP) that can be sectioned along with the surrounding tissue, we examined the contribution of microglia to the formation of inflammatory FBR. To that end, we imaged the inflammatory processes induced by PPMP implantations after eliminating 89-94% of the cortical microglia by PLX5622 treatment. The observations showed that: (I) inflammatory encapsulation of implanted PPMPs proceeds by astrocytes in microglia-free cortices. The activated astrocytes adhered to the PPMP's surfaces. This suggests that the roles of microglia in the FBR might be redundant. (II) PPMP implantation into control or continuously PLX5622-treated rats triggered a localized surge of microglia mitosis. The daughter cells that formed a "cloud" of short-lived (T 1 / 2 ≤ 14 days) microglia around and in contact with the implant surfaces were PLX5622 insensitive. (III) Neuron degeneration by PPMP implantation and the ensuing recovery in time, space, and density progressed in a similar manner in the cortices following 89-94% depletion of microglia. This implies that microglia do not serve a protective role with respect to the neurons. (IV) Although the overall cell composition and dimensions of the encapsulating scar in PLX5622-treated rats differed from the controls, the recorded field potential (FP) qualities and yield were undistinguishable. This is accounted for by assuming that the FP amplitudes in the control and PLX5622-treated rats were related to the seal resistance formed at the interface between the adhering microglia and/or astrocytes and the PPMP platform rather than across the scar tissue. These observations suggest that the prevention of both astrocytes and microglia adhesion to the electrodes is required to improve FP recording quality and yield.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aviv Sharon
- Department of Neurobiology, The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
- The Charles E. Smith Family and Prof. Joel Elkes Laboratory for Collaborative Research in Psychobiology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Maciej M. Jankowski
- Department of Neurobiology, The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
- The Charles E. Smith Family and Prof. Joel Elkes Laboratory for Collaborative Research in Psychobiology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
- Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Nava Shmoel
- Department of Neurobiology, The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
- The Charles E. Smith Family and Prof. Joel Elkes Laboratory for Collaborative Research in Psychobiology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
- The Harvey M. Kruger Family Center for Nanoscience, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Hadas Erez
- Department of Neurobiology, The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
- The Charles E. Smith Family and Prof. Joel Elkes Laboratory for Collaborative Research in Psychobiology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
- The Harvey M. Kruger Family Center for Nanoscience, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Micha E. Spira
- Department of Neurobiology, The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
- The Charles E. Smith Family and Prof. Joel Elkes Laboratory for Collaborative Research in Psychobiology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
- The Harvey M. Kruger Family Center for Nanoscience, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
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25
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Dryg I, Xie Y, Bergmann M, Urban G, Shain W, Hofmann UG. Long-term in vivomonitoring of gliotic sheathing of ultrathin entropic coated brain microprobes with fiber-based optical coherence tomography. J Neural Eng 2021; 18. [PMID: 33657543 DOI: 10.1088/1741-2552/abebc2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Objective.Microfabricated neuroprosthetic devices have made possible important observations on neuron activity; however, long-term high-fidelity recording performance of these devices has yet to be realized. Tissue-device interactions appear to be a primary source of lost recording performance. The current state of the art for visualizing the tissue response surrounding brain implants in animals is immunohistochemistry + confocal microscopy, which is mainly performed after sacrificing the animal. Monitoring the tissue response as it develops could reveal important features of the response which may inform improvements in electrode design.Approach.Optical coherence tomography (OCT), an imaging technique commonly used in ophthalmology, has already been adapted for imaging of brain tissue. Here, we use OCT to achieve real-time,in vivomonitoring of the tissue response surrounding chronically implanted neural devices. The employed tissue-response-provoking implants are coated with a plasma-deposited nanofilm, which has been demonstrated as a biocompatible and anti-inflammatory interface for indwelling devices. We evaluate the method by comparing the OCT results to traditional histology qualitatively and quantitatively.Main results.The differences in OCT signal across the implantation period between the plasma group and the control reveal that the plasma-type coating of otherwise rigid brain probes (glass) only slightly improve the glial encapsulation in the brain parenchyma indicating that geometrical or mechanical influences are dominating the encapsulation process.Significance.Our approach can long-term monitor and compare the tissue-response to chronically-implanted neural probes with and withour plasma coating in living animal models. Our findings provide valuable insigh to the well acknowledged yet not solved challenge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian Dryg
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America.,Center for Integrative Brain Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, United States of America
| | - Yijing Xie
- Section for Neuroelectronic Systems, Department of Neurosurgery, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Michael Bergmann
- Department of Microsystems Engineering (IMTEK), University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Gerald Urban
- Department of Microsystems Engineering (IMTEK), University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - William Shain
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America.,Center for Integrative Brain Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, United States of America
| | - Ulrich G Hofmann
- Section for Neuroelectronic Systems, Department of Neurosurgery, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
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Xu L, Hu C, Huang Q, Jin K, Zhao P, Wang D, Hou W, Dong L, Hu S, Ma H. Trends and recent development of the microelectrode arrays (MEAs). Biosens Bioelectron 2021; 175:112854. [PMID: 33371989 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2020.112854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2020] [Revised: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
In this paper, we reviewed the history of microelectrode arrays (MEAs), compared different microfabrication techniques applied to modern MEAs in terms of their material characters, device properties and application scenarios. Then we discussed the biocompatibility of different MEAs as well as corresponding strategy of improvement. At last, we analyzed the growing trend of MEAs' technical route, expected application of MEAs in the field of Electrical impedance tomography (EIT).
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Affiliation(s)
- Longqian Xu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-medical Diagnostics, Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.88 Keling Road, Suzhou, Jiangsu province, 215163, PR China
| | - Chenxuan Hu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-medical Diagnostics, Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.88 Keling Road, Suzhou, Jiangsu province, 215163, PR China
| | - Qi Huang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-medical Diagnostics, Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.88 Keling Road, Suzhou, Jiangsu province, 215163, PR China
| | - Kai Jin
- CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-medical Diagnostics, Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.88 Keling Road, Suzhou, Jiangsu province, 215163, PR China; International Joint Research Center for Nanophotonics and Biophotonics, School of Science, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, Jilin province, 130022, PR China
| | - Ping Zhao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-medical Diagnostics, Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.88 Keling Road, Suzhou, Jiangsu province, 215163, PR China; International Joint Research Center for Nanophotonics and Biophotonics, School of Science, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, Jilin province, 130022, PR China
| | - Dongping Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-medical Diagnostics, Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.88 Keling Road, Suzhou, Jiangsu province, 215163, PR China
| | - Wei Hou
- Department of Radiation Oncology & Therapy, The First Hospital of Jilin University, NO.1 Xinmin Street, Changchun, Jilin province, 130021, PR China
| | - Lihua Dong
- Department of Radiation Oncology & Therapy, The First Hospital of Jilin University, NO.1 Xinmin Street, Changchun, Jilin province, 130021, PR China
| | - Siyi Hu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-medical Diagnostics, Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.88 Keling Road, Suzhou, Jiangsu province, 215163, PR China
| | - Hanbin Ma
- CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-medical Diagnostics, Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.88 Keling Road, Suzhou, Jiangsu province, 215163, PR China.
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27
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Gerbella M, Borra E, Pothof F, Lanzilotto M, Livi A, Fogassi L, Paul O, Orban G, Ruther P, Bonini L. Histological assessment of a chronically implanted cylindrically-shaped, polymer-based neural probe in the monkey. J Neural Eng 2021; 18. [PMID: 33461177 DOI: 10.1088/1741-2552/abdd11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Previous studies demonstrated the possibility to fabricate stereo-electroencephalography (SEEG) probes with high channel count and great design freedom, which incorporate macro- as well as micro-electrodes offering potential benefits for the pre-surgical evaluation of drug resistant epileptic patients. These new polyimide probes allowed to record local field potentials and multi-unit activity in the macaque monkey as early as one hour after implantation, yielding stable single-unit activity for up to 26 days after implantation. The findings opened new perspectives for investigating mechanisms underlying focal epilepsy and its treatment, but before moving to possible human applications, safety data are needed. Thus, in the present study we evaluate the biocompatibility of this new neural interface by assessing post-mortem the reaction of brain tissue along and around the probe implantation site. APPROACH Three probes were implanted, independently, in the brain of one monkey (Macaca mulatta) at different times. We used specific immunostaining methods for visualizing neuronal cells and astrocytes, for measuring the extent of damage caused by the probe and for relating it with the implantation time. MAIN RESULTS The size of the region where neurons cannot be detected did not exceed the size of the probe, indicating that a complete loss of neuronal cells is only present where the probe was physically positioned in the brain. Furthermore, around the probe shank, we observed a slightly reduced number of neurons within a radius of 50 µm and a modest increase in the number of astrocytes within 100 µm. SIGNIFICANCE In the light of previous electrophysiological findings, the present biocompatibility data suggest the potential usefulness and safety of this probe for human applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marzio Gerbella
- University of Parma Department of Medicine and Surgery, Via Gramsci 14, Parma, 43126, ITALY
| | - Elena Borra
- University of Parma Department of Medicine and Surgery, Via Gramsci 14, Parma, Emilia-Romagna, 43126, ITALY
| | - Frederick Pothof
- University of Freiburg, Germany, 79085, Freiburg, Fahnenbergplatz, Freiburg im Breisgau, Baden-Württemberg, 79085, GERMANY
| | - Marco Lanzilotto
- Università degli Studi di Torino, Via Verdi 8, Torino, Piemonte, 10124, ITALY
| | - Alessandro Livi
- University of Parma Department of Medicine and Surgery, Via Gramsci 14, Parma, Emilia-Romagna, 43126, ITALY
| | - Leonardo Fogassi
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Università degli studi di Parma, Via Gramsci 14, Parma, 43126, ITALY
| | - Oliver Paul
- University of Freiburg, Germany, 79085, Freiburg, Fahnenbergplatz, Freiburg im Breisgau, Baden-Württemberg, 79085, GERMANY
| | - Guy Orban
- University of Parma Department of Medicine and Surgery, Via Gramsci 14, Parma, Emilia-Romagna, 43126, ITALY
| | - Patrick Ruther
- Department of Microsystems Engineering, University of Freiburg, Germany, 79085, Freiburg, Fahnenbergplatz, Freiburg, 79085, GERMANY
| | - Luca Bonini
- Brain Center for Social and Motor Cognition, University of Parma Department of Medicine and Surgery, Via Gramsci 14, Parma, Emilia-Romagna, 43126, ITALY
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Maiolo L, Guarino V, Saracino E, Convertino A, Melucci M, Muccini M, Ambrosio L, Zamboni R, Benfenati V. Glial Interfaces: Advanced Materials and Devices to Uncover the Role of Astroglial Cells in Brain Function and Dysfunction. Adv Healthc Mater 2021; 10:e2001268. [PMID: 33103375 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202001268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2020] [Revised: 10/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Research over the past four decades has highlighted the importance of certain brain cells, called glial cells, and has moved the neurocentric vision of structure, function, and pathology of the nervous system toward a more holistic perspective. In this view, the demand for technologies that are able to target and both selectively monitor and control glial cells is emerging as a challenge across neuroscience, engineering, chemistry, and material science. Frequently neglected or marginally considered as a barrier to be overcome between neural implants and neuronal targets, glial cells, and in particular astrocytes, are increasingly considered as active players in determining the outcomes of device implantation. This review provides a concise overview not only of the previously established but also of the emerging physiological and pathological roles of astrocytes. It also critically discusses the most recent advances in biomaterial interfaces and devices that interact with glial cells and thus have enabled scientists to reach unprecedented insights into the role of astroglial cells in brain function and dysfunction. This work proposes glial interfaces and glial engineering as multidisciplinary fields that have the potential to enable significant advancement of knowledge surrounding cognitive function and acute and chronic neuropathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Maiolo
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche Istituto per la Microelettronica e i Microsistemi Via del Fosso del Cavaliere n.100 Roma 00133 Italy
| | - Vincenzo Guarino
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche Istituto per i Polimeri Compositi e Biomateriali Viale J.F. Kennedy 54, Mostra d'Oltremare, Pad 20 Napoli 80125 Italy
| | - Emanuela Saracino
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche Istituto per la Sintesi Organica e la Fotoreattività via P. Gobetti 101 Bologna 40129 Italy
| | - Annalisa Convertino
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche Istituto per la Microelettronica e i Microsistemi Via del Fosso del Cavaliere n.100 Roma 00133 Italy
| | - Manuela Melucci
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche Istituto per la Sintesi Organica e la Fotoreattività via P. Gobetti 101 Bologna 40129 Italy
| | - Michele Muccini
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche Istituto per la Studio dei Materiali Nanostrutturati via P. Gobetti 101 Bologna 40129 Italy
| | - Luigi Ambrosio
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche Istituto per i Polimeri Compositi e Biomateriali Viale J.F. Kennedy 54, Mostra d'Oltremare, Pad 20 Napoli 80125 Italy
| | - Roberto Zamboni
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche Istituto per la Sintesi Organica e la Fotoreattività via P. Gobetti 101 Bologna 40129 Italy
| | - Valentina Benfenati
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche Istituto per la Sintesi Organica e la Fotoreattività via P. Gobetti 101 Bologna 40129 Italy
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29
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Woods GA, Rommelfanger NJ, Hong G. Bioinspired Materials for In Vivo Bioelectronic Neural Interfaces. MATTER 2020; 3:1087-1113. [PMID: 33103115 PMCID: PMC7583599 DOI: 10.1016/j.matt.2020.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
The success of in vivo neural interfaces relies on their long-term stability and large scale in interrogating and manipulating neural activity after implantation. Conventional neural probes, owing to their limited spatiotemporal resolution and scale, face challenges for studying the massive, interconnected neural network in its native state. In this review, we argue that taking inspiration from biology will unlock the next generation of in vivo bioelectronic neural interfaces. Reducing the feature sizes of bioelectronic neural interfaces to mimic those of neurons enables high spatial resolution and multiplexity. Additionally, chronic stability at the device-tissue interface is realized by matching the mechanical properties of bioelectronic neural interfaces to those of the endogenous tissue. Further, modeling the design of neural interfaces after the endogenous topology of the neural circuitry enables new insights into the connectivity and dynamics of the brain. Lastly, functionalization of neural probe surfaces with coatings inspired by biology leads to enhanced tissue acceptance over extended timescales. Bioinspired neural interfaces will facilitate future developments in neuroscience studies and neurological treatments by leveraging bidirectional information transfer and integrating neuromorphic computing elements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace A. Woods
- Department of Applied Physics, Stanford University, Stanford, California, 94305, USA
- Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, California, 94305, USA
| | - Nicholas J. Rommelfanger
- Department of Applied Physics, Stanford University, Stanford, California, 94305, USA
- Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, California, 94305, USA
| | - Guosong Hong
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California, 94305, USA
- Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, California, 94305, USA
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30
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Sikder MKU, Tong W, Pingle H, Kingshott P, Needham K, Shivdasani MN, Fallon JB, Seligman P, Ibbotson MR, Prawer S, Garrett DJ. Laminin coated diamond electrodes for neural stimulation. MATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING. C, MATERIALS FOR BIOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS 2020; 118:111454. [PMID: 33255039 DOI: 10.1016/j.msec.2020.111454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Revised: 07/15/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The performance of many implantable neural stimulation devices is degraded due to the loss of neurons around the electrodes by the body's natural biological responses to a foreign material. Coating of electrodes with biomolecules such as extracellular matrix proteins is one potential route to suppress the adverse responses that lead to loss of implant functionality. Concurrently, however, the electrochemical performance of the stimulating electrode must remain optimal to continue to safely provide sufficient charge for neural stimulation. We have previously found that oxygen plasma treated nitrogen included ultrananocrystalline diamond coated platinum electrodes exhibit superior charge injection capacity and electrochemical stability for neural stimulation (Sikder et al., 2019). To fabricate bioactive diamond electrodes, in this work, laminin, an extracellular matrix protein known to be involved in inter-neuron adhesion and recognition, was used as an example biomolecule. Here, laminin was covalently coupled to diamond electrodes. Electrochemical analysis found that the covalently coupled films were robust and resulted in minimal change to the charge injection capacity of diamond electrodes. The successful binding of laminin and its biological activity was further confirmed using primary rat cortical neuron cultures, and the coated electrodes showed enhanced cell attachment densities and neurite outgrowth. The method proposed in this work is versatile and adaptable to many other biomolecules for producing bioactive diamond electrodes, which are expected to show reduced the inflammatory responses in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Kabir Uddin Sikder
- Department of Medical Bionics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia; Bionics Institute, 384 Albert St, East Melbourne, VIC 3002, Australia; Department of Physics, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka 1342, Bangladesh
| | - Wei Tong
- National Vision Research Institute, Australian College of Optometry, Carlton, VIC 3010, Australia; School of Physics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia; Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences, Melbourne School of Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia.
| | - Hitesh Pingle
- ARC Training Centre Training Centre in Surface Engineering for Advanced Materials (SEAM), Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia
| | - Peter Kingshott
- ARC Training Centre Training Centre in Surface Engineering for Advanced Materials (SEAM), Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia
| | - Karina Needham
- Department of Otolaryngology, The University of Melbourne, Royal Victorian Eye & Ear Hospital, East Melbourne, Australia
| | - Mohit N Shivdasani
- Bionics Institute, 384 Albert St, East Melbourne, VIC 3002, Australia; Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, The University of New South Wales, Kensington, NSW 2033, Australia
| | - James B Fallon
- Department of Medical Bionics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia; Bionics Institute, 384 Albert St, East Melbourne, VIC 3002, Australia; Department of Otolaryngology, The University of Melbourne, Royal Victorian Eye & Ear Hospital, East Melbourne, Australia
| | - Peter Seligman
- Bionics Institute, 384 Albert St, East Melbourne, VIC 3002, Australia
| | - Michael R Ibbotson
- National Vision Research Institute, Australian College of Optometry, Carlton, VIC 3010, Australia; Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences, Melbourne School of Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Steven Prawer
- School of Physics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - David J Garrett
- School of Physics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia; RMIT University, School of Engineering, Melbourne, VIC 3001, Australia
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31
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Yang Q, Wu B, Eles JR, Vazquez AL, Kozai TDY, Cui XT. Zwitterionic Polymer Coating Suppresses Microglial Encapsulation to Neural Implants In Vitro and In Vivo. ADVANCED BIOSYSTEMS 2020; 4:e1900287. [PMID: 32363792 PMCID: PMC7686959 DOI: 10.1002/adbi.201900287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2019] [Revised: 03/23/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
For brain computer interfaces (BCI), the immune response to implanted electrodes is a major biological cause of device failure. Bioactive coatings such as neural adhesion molecule L1 have been shown to improve the biocompatibility, but are difficult to handle or produce in batches. Here, a synthetic zwitterionic polymer coating, poly(sulfobetaine methacrylate) (PSBMA) is developed for neural implants with the goal of reducing the inflammatory host response. In tests in vitro, the zwitterionic coating inhibits protein adsorption and the attachment of fibroblasts and microglia, and remains stable for at least 4 weeks. In vivo two-photon microscopy on CX3CR1-GFP mice shows that the zwitterionic coating significantly suppresses the microglial encapsulation of neural microelectrodes over a 6 h observation period. Furthermore, the lower microglial encapsulation on zwitterionic polymer-coated microelectrodes is revealed to originate from a reduction in the size but not the number of microglial end feet. This work provides a facile method for coating neural implants with zwitterionic polymers and illustrates the initial interaction between microglia and coated surface at high temporal and spatial resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianru Yang
- Biomedical Science Tower 3, University of Pittsburgh, 3501 Fifth Ave, Pittsburgh, PA, 15232, USA
| | - Bingchen Wu
- Biomedical Science Tower 3, University of Pittsburgh, 3501 Fifth Ave, Pittsburgh, PA, 15232, USA
| | - James R Eles
- Biomedical Science Tower 3, University of Pittsburgh, 3501 Fifth Ave, Pittsburgh, PA, 15232, USA
| | - Alberto L Vazquez
- McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, 3025 East Carson Street, Pittsburgh, PA, 15219, USA
| | - Takashi D Y Kozai
- Center for Biotechnology and Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, 300 Technology Dr, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - X Tracy Cui
- Biomedical Science Tower 3, University of Pittsburgh, 3501 Fifth Ave, Pittsburgh, PA, 15232, USA
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32
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Márton G, Tóth EZ, Wittner L, Fiáth R, Pinke D, Orbán G, Meszéna D, Pál I, Győri EL, Bereczki Z, Kandrács Á, Hofer KT, Pongrácz A, Ulbert I, Tóth K. The neural tissue around SU-8 implants: A quantitative in vivo biocompatibility study. MATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING. C, MATERIALS FOR BIOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS 2020; 112:110870. [PMID: 32409039 DOI: 10.1016/j.msec.2020.110870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2019] [Revised: 02/26/2020] [Accepted: 03/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The use of SU-8 material in the production of neural sensors has grown recently. Despite its widespread application, a detailed systematic quantitative analysis concerning its biocompatibility in the central nervous system is lacking. In this immunohistochemical study, we quantified the neuronal preservation and the severity of astrogliosis around SU-8 devices implanted in the neocortex of rats, after a 2 months survival. We found that the density of neurons significantly decreased up to a distance of 20 μm from the implant, with an averaged density decrease to 24 ± 28% of the control. At 20 to 40 μm distance from the implant, the majority of the neurons was preserved (74 ± 39% of the control) and starting from 40 μm distance from the implant, the neuron density was control-like. The density of synaptic contacts - examined at the electron microscopic level - decreased in the close vicinity of the implant, but it recovered to the control level as close as 24 μm from the implant track. The intensity of the astroglial staining significantly increased compared to the control region, up to 560 μm and 480 μm distance from the track in the superficial and deep layers of the neocortex, respectively. Electron microscopic examination revealed that the thickness of the glial scar was around 5-10 μm thin, and the ratio of glial processes in the neuropil was not more than 16% up to a distance of 12 μm from the implant. Our data suggest that neuronal survival is affected only in a very small area around the implant. The glial scar surrounding the implant is thin, and the presence of glial elements is low in the neuropil, although the signs of astrogliosis could be observed up to about 500 μm from the track. Subsequently, the biocompatibility of the SU-8 material is high. Due to its low cost fabrication and more flexible nature, SU-8 based devices may offer a promising approach to experimental and clinical applications in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gergely Márton
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Magyar tudósok körútja 2, Budapest 1117, Hungary; Faculty of Information Technology and Bionics, Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Práter utca 50/A, Budapest 1083, Hungary; Doctoral School on Materials Sciences and Technologies, Óbuda University, Bécsi út 96/b, Budapest 1034, Hungary.
| | - Estilla Zsófia Tóth
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Magyar tudósok körútja 2, Budapest 1117, Hungary; János Szentágothai Doctoral School of Neurosciences, Semmelweis University, Üllői út 26, Budapest 1085, Hungary.
| | - Lucia Wittner
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Magyar tudósok körútja 2, Budapest 1117, Hungary; Faculty of Information Technology and Bionics, Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Práter utca 50/A, Budapest 1083, Hungary; National Institute of Clinical Neuroscience, Amerikai út 57, Budapest, Hungary, 1145.
| | - Richárd Fiáth
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Magyar tudósok körútja 2, Budapest 1117, Hungary; Faculty of Information Technology and Bionics, Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Práter utca 50/A, Budapest 1083, Hungary.
| | - Domonkos Pinke
- Faculty of Information Technology and Bionics, Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Práter utca 50/A, Budapest 1083, Hungary.
| | - Gábor Orbán
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Magyar tudósok körútja 2, Budapest 1117, Hungary; Doctoral School on Materials Sciences and Technologies, Óbuda University, Bécsi út 96/b, Budapest 1034, Hungary.
| | - Domokos Meszéna
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Magyar tudósok körútja 2, Budapest 1117, Hungary; Faculty of Information Technology and Bionics, Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Práter utca 50/A, Budapest 1083, Hungary.
| | - Ildikó Pál
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Magyar tudósok körútja 2, Budapest 1117, Hungary.
| | - Edit Lelle Győri
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Magyar tudósok körútja 2, Budapest 1117, Hungary; Faculty of Information Technology and Bionics, Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Práter utca 50/A, Budapest 1083, Hungary; National Institute of Clinical Neuroscience, Amerikai út 57, Budapest, Hungary, 1145
| | - Zsófia Bereczki
- Department of Control Engineering and Information Technology, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Magyar tudósok körútja 2, Budapest 1117, Hungary
| | - Ágnes Kandrács
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Magyar tudósok körútja 2, Budapest 1117, Hungary; Faculty of Information Technology and Bionics, Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Práter utca 50/A, Budapest 1083, Hungary.
| | - Katharina T Hofer
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Magyar tudósok körútja 2, Budapest 1117, Hungary; Faculty of Information Technology and Bionics, Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Práter utca 50/A, Budapest 1083, Hungary.
| | - Anita Pongrácz
- Faculty of Information Technology and Bionics, Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Práter utca 50/A, Budapest 1083, Hungary; Institute of Technical Physics and Materials Science, Centre for Energy Research, Konkoly Thege Miklós út 29-33, Budapest 1121, Hungary.
| | - István Ulbert
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Magyar tudósok körútja 2, Budapest 1117, Hungary; Faculty of Information Technology and Bionics, Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Práter utca 50/A, Budapest 1083, Hungary; National Institute of Clinical Neuroscience, Amerikai út 57, Budapest, Hungary, 1145.
| | - Kinga Tóth
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Magyar tudósok körútja 2, Budapest 1117, Hungary.
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Thompson CH, Riggins TE, Patel PR, Chestek CA, Li W, Purcell E. Toward guiding principles for the design of biologically-integrated electrodes for the central nervous system. J Neural Eng 2020; 17:021001. [PMID: 31986501 PMCID: PMC7523527 DOI: 10.1088/1741-2552/ab7030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Innovation in electrode design has produced a myriad of new and creative strategies for interfacing the nervous system with softer, less invasive, more broadly distributed sites with high spatial resolution. However, despite rapid growth in the use of implanted electrode arrays in research and clinical applications, there are no broadly accepted guiding principles for the design of biocompatible chronic recording interfaces in the central nervous system (CNS). Studies suggest that the architecture and flexibility of devices play important roles in determining effective tissue integration: device feature dimensions (varying from 'sub'- to 'supra'-cellular scales, <10 µm to >100 µm), Young's modulus, and bending modulus have all been identified as key features of design. However, critical knowledge gaps remain in the field with respect to the underlying motivation for these designs: (1) a systematic study of the relationship between device design features (materials, architecture, flexibility), biointegration, and signal quality needs to be performed, including controls for interaction effects between design features, (2) benchmarks for success need to be determined (biological integration, recording performance, longevity, stability), and (3) user results, particularly those that champion a specific design or electrode modification, need to be replicated across laboratories. Finally, the ancillary effects of factors such as tethering, site impedance and insertion method need to be considered. Here, we briefly review observations to-date of device design effects on tissue integration and performance, and then highlight the need for comprehensive and systematic testing of these effects moving forward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cort H Thompson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States of America
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Neuroadhesive protein coating improves the chronic performance of neuroelectronics in mouse brain. Biosens Bioelectron 2020; 155:112096. [PMID: 32090868 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2020.112096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2019] [Revised: 02/06/2020] [Accepted: 02/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Intracortical microelectrodes are being developed to both record and stimulate neurons to understand brain circuitry or restore lost functions. However, the success of these probes is hampered partly due to the inflammatory host tissue responses to implants. To minimize the foreign body reactions, L1, a brain derived neuronal specific cell adhesion molecule, has been covalently bound to the neural electrode array surface. Here we evaluated the chronic recording performance of L1-coated silicon based laminar neural electrode arrays implanted into V1m cortex of mice. The L1 coating enhanced the overall visually evoked single-unit (SU) yield and SU amplitude, as well as signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR) in the mouse brain compared to the uncoated arrays across the 0-1500 μm depth. The improvement in recording is most dramatic in the hippocampus region, where the control group showed severe recording yield decrease after one week, while the L1 implants maintained a high SU yield throughout the 16 weeks. Immunohistological analysis revealed significant increases of axonal and neuronal density along with significantly lowered microglia activation around the L1 probe after 16 weeks. These results collectively confirm the effectiveness of L1 based biomimetic coating on minimizing inflammatory tissue response and improving neural recording quality and longevity. Improving chronic recording will benefit the brain-computer interface technologies and neuroscience studies involving chronic tracking of neural activities.
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35
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Eles JR, Kozai TDY. In vivo imaging of calcium and glutamate responses to intracortical microstimulation reveals distinct temporal responses of the neuropil and somatic compartments in layer II/III neurons. Biomaterials 2020; 234:119767. [PMID: 31954232 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2020.119767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2019] [Revised: 12/22/2019] [Accepted: 01/05/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Intracortical microelectrode implants can generate a tissue response hallmarked by glial scarring and neuron cell death within 100-150 μm of the biomaterial device. Many have proposed that any performance decline in intracortical microstimulation (ICMS) due to this foreign body tissue response could be offset by increasing the stimulation amplitude. The mechanisms of this approach are unclear, however, as there has not been consensus on how increasing amplitude affects the spatial and temporal recruitment patterns of ICMS. APPROACH We clarify these unknowns using in vivo two-photon imaging of mice transgenically expressing the calcium sensor GCaMP6s in Thy1 neurons or virally expressing the glutamate sensor iGluSnFr in neurons. Calcium and neurotransmitter activity are tracked in the neuronal somas and neuropil during long-train stimulation in Layer II/III of somatosensory cortex. MAIN RESULTS Neural calcium activity and glutamate release are dense and strongest within 20-40 μm around the electrode, falling off with distance from the electrode. Neuronal calcium increases with higher amplitude stimulations. During prolonged stimulation trains, a sub-population of somas fail to maintain calcium activity. Interestingly, neuropil calcium activity is 3-fold less correlated to somatic calcium activity for cells that drop-out during the long stimulation train compared to cells that sustain activity throughout the train. Glutamate release is apparent only within 20 μm of the electrode and is sustained for at least 10s after cessation of the 15 and 20 μA stimulation train, but not lower amplitudes. SIGNIFICANCE These results demonstrate that increasing amplitude can increase the radius and intensity of neural recruitment, but it also alters the temporal response of some neurons. Further, dense glutamate release is highest within the first 20 μm of the electrode site even at high amplitudes, suggesting that there may be spatial limitations to the amplitude parameter space. The glutamate elevation outlasts stimulation, suggesting that high-amplitude stimulation may affect neurotransmitter re-uptake. This ultimately suggests that increasing the amplitude of ICMS device stimulation may fundamentally alter the temporal neural response, which could have implications for using amplitude to improve the ICMS effect or "offset" the effects of glial scarring.
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Affiliation(s)
- James R Eles
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Takashi D Y Kozai
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; NeuroTech Center, University of Pittsburgh Brain Institute, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
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36
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Sung C, Jeon W, Nam KS, Kim Y, Butt H, Park S. Multimaterial and multifunctional neural interfaces: from surface-type and implantable electrodes to fiber-based devices. J Mater Chem B 2020; 8:6624-6666. [DOI: 10.1039/d0tb00872a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Development of neural interfaces from surface electrodes to fibers with various type, functionality, and materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changhoon Sung
- Department of Bio and Brain Engineering
- Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)
- Daejeon 34141
- Republic of Korea
| | - Woojin Jeon
- Department of Bio and Brain Engineering
- Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)
- Daejeon 34141
- Republic of Korea
| | - Kum Seok Nam
- School of Electrical Engineering
- Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)
- Daejeon 34141
- Republic of Korea
| | - Yeji Kim
- Department of Bio and Brain Engineering
- Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)
- Daejeon 34141
- Republic of Korea
| | - Haider Butt
- Department of Mechanical Engineering
- Khalifa University
- Abu Dhabi 127788
- United Arab Emirates
| | - Seongjun Park
- Department of Bio and Brain Engineering
- Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)
- Daejeon 34141
- Republic of Korea
- KAIST Institute for Health Science and Technology (KIHST)
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37
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Golabchi A, Wu B, Cao B, Bettinger CJ, Cui XT. Zwitterionic polymer/polydopamine coating reduce acute inflammatory tissue responses to neural implants. Biomaterials 2019; 225:119519. [PMID: 31600673 PMCID: PMC6896321 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2019.119519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2019] [Revised: 09/17/2019] [Accepted: 09/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The inflammatory brain tissue response to implanted neural electrode devices has hindered the longevity of these implants. Zwitterionic polymers have a potent anti-fouling effect that decreases the foreign body response to subcutaneous implants. In this study, we developed a nanoscale anti-fouling coating composed of zwitterionic poly (sulfobetaine methacrylate) (PSB) and polydopamine (PDA) for neural probes. The addition of PDA improved the stability of the coating compared to PSB alone, without compromising the anti-fouling properties of the film. PDA-PSB coating reduced protein adsorption by 89% compared to bare Si samples, while fibroblast adhesion was reduced by 86%. PDA-PSB coated silicon based neural probes were implanted into mouse brain, and the inflammatory tissue responses to the implants were assessed by immunohistochemistry one week after implantation. The PSB-PDA coated implants showed a significantly decreased expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), a marker for reactive astrocytes, within 70 μm from the electrode-tissue interface (p < 0.05). Additionally, the coating reduced the microglia activation as shown in decreased Iba-1 and lectin staining, and improved blood-brain barrier integrity indicated by reduced immunoglobulin (IgG) leakage into the tissue around the probes. These findings demonstrate that anti-fouling zwitterionic coating is effective in suppressing the acute inflammatory brain tissue response to implants, and should be further investigated for its potential to improve chronic performance of neural implants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asiyeh Golabchi
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, USA; Center for Neural Basis of Cognition, USA
| | - Bingchen Wu
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, USA; Center for Neural Basis of Cognition, USA
| | - Bin Cao
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, USA; Center for Neural Basis of Cognition, USA
| | - Christopher J Bettinger
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Department of Material Science and Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, USA; McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, USA
| | - Xinyan Tracy Cui
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, USA; Center for Neural Basis of Cognition, USA; McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, USA.
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Yang JC, Mun J, Kwon SY, Park S, Bao Z, Park S. Electronic Skin: Recent Progress and Future Prospects for Skin-Attachable Devices for Health Monitoring, Robotics, and Prosthetics. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2019; 31:e1904765. [PMID: 31538370 DOI: 10.1002/adma.201904765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 463] [Impact Index Per Article: 92.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2019] [Revised: 08/26/2019] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Recent progress in electronic skin or e-skin research is broadly reviewed, focusing on technologies needed in three main applications: skin-attachable electronics, robotics, and prosthetics. First, since e-skin will be exposed to prolonged stresses of various kinds and needs to be conformally adhered to irregularly shaped surfaces, materials with intrinsic stretchability and self-healing properties are of great importance. Second, tactile sensing capability such as the detection of pressure, strain, slip, force vector, and temperature are important for health monitoring in skin attachable devices, and to enable object manipulation and detection of surrounding environment for robotics and prosthetics. For skin attachable devices, chemical and electrophysiological sensing and wireless signal communication are of high significance to fully gauge the state of health of users and to ensure user comfort. For robotics and prosthetics, large-area integration on 3D surfaces in a facile and scalable manner is critical. Furthermore, new signal processing strategies using neuromorphic devices are needed to efficiently process tactile information in a parallel and low power manner. For prosthetics, neural interfacing electrodes are of high importance. These topics are discussed, focusing on progress, current challenges, and future prospects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Chang Yang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Jaewan Mun
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305-5025, USA
| | - Se Young Kwon
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Seongjun Park
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
- Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Zhenan Bao
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305-5025, USA
| | - Steve Park
- Department of Bio and Brain Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
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Wei S, Yin R, Tang T, Wu Y, Liu Y, Wang P, Wang K, Mei M, Zou R, Duan X. Gas-Permeable, Irritation-Free, Transparent Hydrogel Contact Lens Devices with Metal-Coated Nanofiber Mesh for Eye Interfacing. ACS NANO 2019; 13:7920-7929. [PMID: 31251581 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.9b02305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
An electronic "smart" contact lens device with high gas permeability and optical transparency, as well as mechanical compliance and robustness, offers daily wear capability in eye interfacing and can have broad applications ranging from ocular diagnosis to augmented reality. Most existing contact lens electronics utilize gas-impermeable substrates, electronic components, and interfacial adhesion layers, which impedes them from applications requiring continuous daily wear. Here we report on the design and fabrication of an eye interfacing device with a commercial ocular contact lens as the substrate, metal-coated nanofiber mesh as the conductor, and in situ electrochemically deposited poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) /poly(styrene sulfonate) (PSS) as the adhesion material. This hydrogel contact lens device shows high gas permeability, wettability, and level of hydration, in addition to excellent optical transparency, mechanical compliance, and robustness. Using a rabbit model, we found that the animals wearing these hydrogel contact lens devices continuously for 12 hours showed a level of corneal fluorescein staining comparable to those wearing pure hydrogel contact lenses for same period of time, with no obvious corneal abrasion or irritation, indicating their high level of safety for continuous daily wear. Finally, full-field electroretinogram (ERG) recordings on rabbits were carried out to demonstrate the functionality of this device. We believe that the strategy of integrating nanofiber mesh-based electronic components demonstrated here can offer a general platform for hydrogel electronics with the advantages of preserving the physiological and mechanical properties of the hydrogel, thus enabling seamless integration with biological tissues and providing various wearable or implantable sensors with improved biocompatibility for health monitoring or medical treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiyuan Wei
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering , Peking University , Beijing 100871 , China
- Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies , Peking University , Beijing 100871 , China
| | - Rongkang Yin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering , Peking University , Beijing 100871 , China
- Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies , Peking University , Beijing 100871 , China
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences , Peking University , Beijing 100871 , China
| | - Tao Tang
- Department of Ophthalmology , Peking University People's Hospital , Beijing 100044 , China
- College of Optometry , Peking University Health Science Center , Beijing 100044 , China
| | - Yingxiao Wu
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, College of Engineering , Peking University , Beijing 100871 , China
| | - Yang Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering , Peking University , Beijing 100871 , China
| | - Puxin Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering , Peking University , Beijing 100871 , China
- Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies , Peking University , Beijing 100871 , China
| | - Kai Wang
- Department of Ophthalmology , Peking University People's Hospital , Beijing 100044 , China
- College of Optometry , Peking University Health Science Center , Beijing 100044 , China
| | - Ming Mei
- WuXi App Tec (Suzhou) Co., Ltd. , Suzhou 215104 , China
| | - Ruqiang Zou
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, College of Engineering , Peking University , Beijing 100871 , China
| | - Xiaojie Duan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering , Peking University , Beijing 100871 , China
- Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies , Peking University , Beijing 100871 , China
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Boehler C, Oberueber F, Asplund M. Tuning drug delivery from conducting polymer films for accurately controlled release of charged molecules. J Control Release 2019; 304:173-180. [PMID: 31096016 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2019.05.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2019] [Accepted: 05/12/2019] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Spatio-temporally controlled drug release based on conducting polymer films offers a powerful technology to improve the tissue integration for implantable neuroprobes. We here explore the release efficiency of such systems in order to improve the understanding of the release mechanism and allow for optimized implementation of this technology into future drug release applications. By exposing drug loaded PEDOT coatings of different thicknesses to a multitude of release signals, along with optimizing the steps during the polymer synthesis, we could identify a highly reproducible electrostatically controlled drug release next to a slow diffusion driven release component. The release efficiency was moreover observed to be higher for a cyclic voltammetry signal in comparison to release driven by a constant potential. Biphasic current pulses, as used during neural stimulation, did not allow for long enough diffusion times to yield efficient active drug expulsion from the polymer films. A quantitative analysis could confirm an overall linear dependency between drug release and film thickness. The amount of drug released in response to the trigger signals was however not linearly correlated with the amount of charge applied. By combining these findings we could develop a model which accurately describes the drug release mechanism from a PEDOT film. The proposed model thereby points the way for how actively controlled, and diffusion related, release can be tuned for obtaining delivery dynamics tailored to specific applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Boehler
- BrainLinks-BrainTools Center, University of Freiburg, Germany; Department of Microsystems Engineering (IMTEK), University of Freiburg, Germany.
| | - Felix Oberueber
- BrainLinks-BrainTools Center, University of Freiburg, Germany; Department of Microsystems Engineering (IMTEK), University of Freiburg, Germany
| | - Maria Asplund
- BrainLinks-BrainTools Center, University of Freiburg, Germany; Department of Microsystems Engineering (IMTEK), University of Freiburg, Germany
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41
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Adewole DO, Serruya MD, Wolf JA, Cullen DK. Bioactive Neuroelectronic Interfaces. Front Neurosci 2019; 13:269. [PMID: 30983957 PMCID: PMC6449725 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2019.00269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2018] [Accepted: 03/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Within the neural engineering field, next-generation implantable neuroelectronic interfaces are being developed using biologically-inspired and/or biologically-derived materials to improve upon the stability and functional lifetime of current interfaces. These technologies use biomaterials, bioactive molecules, living cells, or some combination of these, to promote host neuronal survival, reduce the foreign body response, and improve chronic device-tissue integration. This article provides a general overview of the different strategies, milestones, and evolution of bioactive neural interfaces including electrode material properties, biological coatings, and "decoration" with living cells. Another such biohybrid approach developed in our lab uses preformed implantable micro-tissue featuring long-projecting axonal tracts encased within carrier biomaterial micro-columns. These so-called "living electrodes" have been engineered with carefully tailored material, mechanical, and biological properties to enable natural, synaptic based modulation of specific host circuitry while ultimately being under computer control. This article provides an overview of these living electrodes, including design and fabrication, performance attributes, as well as findings to date characterizing in vitro and in vivo functionality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dayo O. Adewole
- Center for Brain Injury and Repair, Department of Neurosurgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Center for Neurotrauma, Neurodegeneration and Restoration, Corporal Michael J. Crescenz Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Mijail D. Serruya
- Department of Neurology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - John A. Wolf
- Center for Brain Injury and Repair, Department of Neurosurgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Center for Neurotrauma, Neurodegeneration and Restoration, Corporal Michael J. Crescenz Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - D. Kacy Cullen
- Center for Brain Injury and Repair, Department of Neurosurgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Center for Neurotrauma, Neurodegeneration and Restoration, Corporal Michael J. Crescenz Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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Park S, Loke G, Fink Y, Anikeeva P. Flexible fiber-based optoelectronics for neural interfaces. Chem Soc Rev 2019; 48:1826-1852. [PMID: 30815657 DOI: 10.1039/c8cs00710a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Neurological and psychiatric conditions pose an increasing socioeconomic burden on our aging society. Our ability to understand and treat these conditions relies on the development of reliable tools to study the dynamics of the underlying neural circuits. Despite significant progress in approaches and devices to sense and modulate neural activity, further refinement is required on the spatiotemporal resolution, cell-type selectivity, and long-term stability of neural interfaces. Guided by the principles of neural transduction and by the materials properties of the neural tissue, recent advances in neural interrogation approaches rely on flexible and multifunctional devices. Among these approaches, multimaterial fibers have emerged as integrated tools for sensing and delivering of multiple signals to and from the neural tissue. Fiber-based neural probes are produced by thermal drawing process, which is the manufacturing approach used in optical fiber fabrication. This technology allows straightforward incorporation of multiple functional components into microstructured fibers at the level of their macroscale models, preforms, with a wide range of geometries. Here we will introduce the multimaterial fiber technology, its applications in engineering fields, and its adoption for the design of multifunctional and flexible neural interfaces. We will discuss examples of fiber-based neural probes tailored to the electrophysiological recording, optical neuromodulation, and delivery of drugs and genes into the rodent brain and spinal cord, as well as their emerging use for studies of nerve growth and repair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seongjun Park
- School of Engineering, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
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43
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Modulation of cell-cell interactions for neural tissue engineering: Potential therapeutic applications of cell adhesion molecules in nerve regeneration. Biomaterials 2019; 197:327-344. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2019.01.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2018] [Revised: 12/08/2018] [Accepted: 01/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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44
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Abstract
Hydrogels have emerged as a promising bioelectronic interfacing material. This review discusses the fundamentals and recent advances in hydrogel bioelectronics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyunwoo Yuk
- Department of Mechanical Engineering
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Cambridge
- USA
| | - Baoyang Lu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Cambridge
- USA
- School of Pharmacy
| | - Xuanhe Zhao
- Department of Mechanical Engineering
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Cambridge
- USA
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
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45
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Eles JR, Vazquez AL, Kozai TDY, Cui XT. Meningeal inflammatory response and fibrous tissue remodeling around intracortical implants: An in vivo two-photon imaging study. Biomaterials 2018; 195:111-123. [PMID: 30634095 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2018.12.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2018] [Revised: 12/15/2018] [Accepted: 12/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Meningeal inflammation and encapsulation of neural electrode arrays is a leading cause of device failure, yet little is known about how it develops over time or what triggers it. This work characterizes the dynamic changes of meningeal inflammatory cells and collagen-I in order to understand the meningeal tissue response to neural electrode implantation. We use in vivo two-photon microscopy of CX3CR1-GFP mice over the first month after electrode implantation to quantify changes in inflammatory cell behavior as well as meningeal collagen-I remodeling. We define a migratory window during the first day after electrode implantation hallmarked by robust inflammatory cell migration along electrodes in the meninges as well as cell trafficking through meningeal venules. This migratory window attenuates by 2 days post-implant, but over the next month, the meningeal collagen-I remodels to conform to the surface of the electrode and thickens. This work shows that there are distinct time courses for initial meningeal inflammatory cell infiltration and meningeal collagen-I remodeling. This may indicate a therapeutic window early after implantation for modulation and mitigation of meningeal inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- J R Eles
- Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, United States; Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University, United States
| | - A L Vazquez
- Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, United States; Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University, United States; Radiology, University of Pittsburgh, United States
| | - T D Y Kozai
- Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, United States; Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University, United States; McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, United States; NeuroTech Center of the University of Pittsburgh Brain Institute, United States; Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, United States
| | - X T Cui
- Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, United States; Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University, United States; McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, United States.
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Vitale F, Shen W, Driscoll N, Burrell JC, Richardson AG, Adewole O, Murphy B, Ananthakrishnan A, Oh H, Wang T, Lucas TH, Cullen DK, Allen MG, Litt B. Biomimetic extracellular matrix coatings improve the chronic biocompatibility of microfabricated subdural microelectrode arrays. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0206137. [PMID: 30383805 PMCID: PMC6211660 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0206137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2018] [Accepted: 10/08/2018] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Intracranial electrodes are a vital component of implantable neurodevices, both for acute diagnostics and chronic treatment with open and closed-loop neuromodulation. Their performance is hampered by acute implantation trauma and chronic inflammation in response to implanted materials and mechanical mismatch between stiff synthetic electrodes and pulsating, natural soft host neural tissue. Flexible electronics based on thin polymer films patterned with microscale conductive features can help alleviate the mechanically induced trauma; however, this strategy alone does not mitigate inflammation at the device-tissue interface. In this study, we propose a biomimetic approach that integrates microscale extracellular matrix (ECM) coatings on microfabricated flexible subdural microelectrodes. Taking advantage of a high-throughput process employing micro-transfer molding and excimer laser micromachining, we fabricate multi-channel subdural microelectrodes primarily composed of ECM protein material and demonstrate that the electrochemical and mechanical properties match those of standard, uncoated controls. In vivo ECoG recordings in rodent brain confirm that the ECM microelectrode coatings and the protein interface do not alter signal fidelity. Astrogliotic, foreign body reaction to ECM coated devices is reduced, compared to uncoated controls, at 7 and 30 days, after subdural implantation in rat somatosensory cortex. We propose microfabricated, flexible, biomimetic electrodes as a new strategy to reduce inflammation at the device-tissue interface and improve the long-term stability of implantable subdural electrodes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flavia Vitale
- Center for Neuroengineering and Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA, United States of America
- Department of Neurology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA, United States of America
- Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA, United States of America
- Center for Neurotrauma, Neurodegeneration & Restoration, Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center, Philadelphia PA, United States of America
| | - Wendy Shen
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA, United States of America
| | - Nicolette Driscoll
- Center for Neuroengineering and Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA, United States of America
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA, United States of America
| | - Justin C. Burrell
- Center for Neurotrauma, Neurodegeneration & Restoration, Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center, Philadelphia PA, United States of America
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA, United States of America
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA, United States of America
| | - Andrew G. Richardson
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA, United States of America
| | - Oladayo Adewole
- Center for Neurotrauma, Neurodegeneration & Restoration, Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center, Philadelphia PA, United States of America
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA, United States of America
| | - Brendan Murphy
- Center for Neuroengineering and Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA, United States of America
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA, United States of America
| | - Akshay Ananthakrishnan
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA, United States of America
| | - Hanju Oh
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA, United States of America
| | - Theodore Wang
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA, United States of America
| | - Timothy H. Lucas
- Center for Neuroengineering and Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA, United States of America
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA, United States of America
| | - D. Kacy Cullen
- Center for Neurotrauma, Neurodegeneration & Restoration, Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center, Philadelphia PA, United States of America
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA, United States of America
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA, United States of America
| | - Mark G. Allen
- Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA, United States of America
| | - Brian Litt
- Center for Neuroengineering and Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA, United States of America
- Department of Neurology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA, United States of America
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA, United States of America
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Chronically Implanted Intracranial Electrodes: Tissue Reaction and Electrical Changes. MICROMACHINES 2018; 9:mi9090430. [PMID: 30424363 PMCID: PMC6187588 DOI: 10.3390/mi9090430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2018] [Revised: 08/13/2018] [Accepted: 08/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The brain-electrode interface is arguably one of the most important areas of study in neuroscience today. A stronger foundation in this topic will allow us to probe the architecture of the brain in unprecedented functional detail and augment our ability to intervene in disease states. Over many years, significant progress has been made in this field, but some obstacles have remained elusive—notably preventing glial encapsulation and electrode degradation. In this review, we discuss the tissue response to electrode implantation on acute and chronic timescales, the electrical changes that occur in electrode systems over time, and strategies that are being investigated in order to minimize the tissue response to implantation and maximize functional electrode longevity. We also highlight the current and future clinical applications and relevance of electrode technology.
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Eles JR, Vazquez AL, Kozai TDY, Cui XT. In vivo imaging of neuronal calcium during electrode implantation: Spatial and temporal mapping of damage and recovery. Biomaterials 2018; 174:79-94. [PMID: 29783119 PMCID: PMC5987772 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2018.04.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2018] [Revised: 04/16/2018] [Accepted: 04/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Implantable electrode devices enable long-term electrophysiological recordings for brain-machine interfaces and basic neuroscience research. Implantation of these devices, however, leads to neuronal damage and progressive neural degeneration that can lead to device failure. The present study uses in vivo two-photon microscopy to study the calcium activity and morphology of neurons before, during, and one month after electrode implantation to determine how implantation trauma injures neurons. We show that implantation leads to prolonged, elevated calcium levels in neurons within 150 μm of the electrode interface. These neurons show signs of mechanical distortion and mechanoporation after implantation, suggesting that calcium influx is related to mechanical trauma. Further, calcium-laden neurites develop signs of axonal injury at 1-3 h post-insert. Over the first month after implantation, physiological neuronal calcium activity increases, suggesting that neurons may be recovering. By defining the mechanisms of neuron damage after electrode implantation, our results suggest new directions for therapies to improve electrode longevity.
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Affiliation(s)
- James R Eles
- Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, United States; Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University, United States
| | - Alberto L Vazquez
- Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, United States; Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University, United States; Radiology, University of Pittsburgh, United States
| | - Takashi D Y Kozai
- Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, United States; Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University, United States; McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, United States; NeuroTech Center of the University of Pittsburgh Brain Institute, United States; Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, United States
| | - X Tracy Cui
- Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, United States; Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University, United States; McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, United States.
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Woeppel KM, Zheng XS, Cui XT. Enhancing surface immobilization of bioactive molecules via a silica nanoparticle based coating. J Mater Chem B 2018; 6:3058-3067. [PMID: 30464839 PMCID: PMC6242288 DOI: 10.1039/c8tb00408k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Surface modification is of significant interest in biomaterials, biosensors, and device biocompatibility. Immobilization of bioactive or biomimetic molecules is a common method of disguising a foreign body as host tissue to decrease the foreign body response (FBR) and/or increase device-tissue integration. For example, in neural interfacing devices, immobilization of L1, a neuron-specific adhesion molecule, has been shown to increase neuron adhesion and reduce inflammatory gliosis on and around the implants. However, the activity of modified surfaces is limited by the relatively low concentration of the immobilized component, in part due to the low surface area of flat surfaces available for modification. In this work, we demonstrate a novel method for increasing the device surface area by attaching a layer of thiolated silica nanoparticles (TNPs). This coating method results in an almost two-fold increase in the immobilized L1 protein. L1 immobilized nanotextured surfaces showed a 100% increase in neurite outgrowth than smooth L1 immobilized surfaces without increasing the adhesion of astrocytes in vitro. The increased bioactivity observed in the cell assay was determined to be mainly due to the higher protein surface density, not the increase in surface roughness. In addition, we tested immobilization of a superoxide dismutase mimic (SODm) on smooth and roughened substrates. The SODm immobilized rough surfaces demonstrated an increase of 145% in superoxide scavenging activity compared to chemically matched smooth surfaces. These results not only show promise in improving biomimetic coating for neural implants, but may also improve surface immobilization efficacy in other fields such as catalysts, protein purification, sensors, and tissue engineering devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- K M Woeppel
- University of Pittsburgh, Department of Bioengineering, 5057 Biomedical Science Tower 3, 3501 Fifth Ave, Pittsburgh, Pa, 15213, USA
- Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa, 15213, USA
| | - X S Zheng
- University of Pittsburgh, Department of Bioengineering, 5057 Biomedical Science Tower 3, 3501 Fifth Ave, Pittsburgh, Pa, 15213, USA
| | - X T Cui
- University of Pittsburgh, Department of Bioengineering, 5057 Biomedical Science Tower 3, 3501 Fifth Ave, Pittsburgh, Pa, 15213, USA
- Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa, 15213, USA
- McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa, 15213, USA
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50
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Cody PA, Eles JR, Lagenaur CF, Kozai TDY, Cui XT. Unique electrophysiological and impedance signatures between encapsulation types: An analysis of biological Utah array failure and benefit of a biomimetic coating in a rat model. Biomaterials 2018; 161:117-128. [PMID: 29421549 PMCID: PMC5817007 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2018.01.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2017] [Revised: 01/10/2018] [Accepted: 01/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Intracortical microelectrode arrays, especially the Utah array, remain the most common choice for obtaining high dimensional recordings of spiking neural activity for brain computer interface and basic neuroscience research. Despite the widespread use and established design, mechanical, material and biological challenges persist that contribute to a steady decline in recording performance (as evidenced by both diminished signal amplitude and recorded cell population over time) or outright array failure. Device implantation injury causes acute cell death and activation of inflammatory microglia and astrocytes that leads to a chronic neurodegeneration and inflammatory glial aggregation around the electrode shanks and often times fibrous tissue growth above the pia along the bed of the array within the meninges. This multifaceted deleterious cascade can result in substantial variability in performance even under the same experimental conditions. We track both impedance signatures and electrophysiological performance of 4 × 4 floating microelectrode Utah arrays implanted in the primary monocular visual cortex (V1m) of Long-Evans rats over a 12-week period. We employ a repeatable visual stimulation method to compare signal-to-noise ratio as well as single- and multi-unit yield from weekly recordings. To explain signal variability with biological response, we compare arrays categorized as either Type 1, partial fibrous encapsulation, or Type 2, complete fibrous encapsulation and demonstrate performance and impedance signatures unique to encapsulation type. We additionally assess benefits of a biomolecule coating intended to minimize distance to recordable units and observe a temporary improvement on multi-unit recording yield and single-unit amplitude.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick A Cody
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, 5057 Biomedical Science Tower 3, 3501 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15260, USA; Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - James R Eles
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, 5057 Biomedical Science Tower 3, 3501 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15260, USA; Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Carl F Lagenaur
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Takashi D Y Kozai
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, 5057 Biomedical Science Tower 3, 3501 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15260, USA; Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; McGowan Institute of Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; NeuroTech Center, University of Pittsburgh Brain Institute, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - X Tracy Cui
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, 5057 Biomedical Science Tower 3, 3501 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15260, USA; Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; McGowan Institute of Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
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