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Zhao C, Wang Z, Tang X, Qin J, Jiang Z. Recent advances in sensor-integrated brain-on-a-chip devices for real-time brain monitoring. Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces 2023; 229:113431. [PMID: 37473652 DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2023.113431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 06/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
Brain science has remained in the global spotlight as an important field of scientific and technological discovery. Numerous in vitro and in vivo animal studies have been performed to understand the pathological processes involved in brain diseases and develop strategies for their diagnosis and treatment. However, owing to species differences between animals and humans, several drugs have shown high rates of treatment failure in clinical settings, hindering the development of diagnostic and treatment modalities for brain diseases. In this scenario, microfluidic brain-on-a-chip (BOC) devices, which allow the direct use of human tissues for experiments, have emerged as novel tools for effectively avoiding species differences and performing screening for new drugs. Although microfluidic BOC technology has achieved significant progress in recent years, monitoring slight changes in neurochemicals, neurotransmitters, and environmental states in the brain has remained challenging owing to the brain's complex environment. Hence, the integration of BOC with new sensors that have high sensitivity and high selectivity is urgently required for the real-time dynamic monitoring of BOC parameters. As sensor-based technologies for BOC have not been summarized, here, we review the principle, fabrication process, and application-based classification of sensor-integrated BOC, and then summarize the opportunities and challenges for their development. Generally, sensor-integrated BOC enables real-time monitoring and dynamic analysis, accurately measuring minute changes in the brain and thus enabling the realization of in vivo brain analysis and drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Zhao
- School of Medical Technology, School of Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Zihao Wang
- School of Medical Technology, School of Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Xiaoying Tang
- School of Medical Technology, School of Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China.
| | - Jieling Qin
- School of Medical Technology, School of Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China; Tongji University Cancer Center, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China.
| | - Zhenqi Jiang
- School of Medical Technology, School of Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China.
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2
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Cordella F, Ferrucci L, D’Antoni C, Ghirga S, Brighi C, Soloperto A, Gigante Y, Ragozzino D, Bezzi P, Di Angelantonio S. Human iPSC-Derived Cortical Neurons Display Homeostatic Plasticity. Life (Basel) 2022; 12:life12111884. [PMID: 36431019 PMCID: PMC9696876 DOI: 10.3390/life12111884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Revised: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Maintaining the excitability of neurons and circuits is fundamental for healthy brain functions. The global compensatory increase in excitatory synaptic strength, in response to decreased activity, is one of the main homeostatic mechanisms responsible for such regulation. This type of plasticity has been extensively characterized in rodents in vivo and in vitro, but few data exist on human neurons maturation. We have generated an in vitro cortical model system, based on differentiated human-induced pluripotent stem cells, chronically treated with tetrodotoxin, to investigate homeostatic plasticity at different developmental stages. Our findings highlight the presence of homeostatic plasticity in human cortical networks and show that the changes in synaptic strength are due to both pre- and post-synaptic mechanisms. Pre-synaptic plasticity involves the potentiation of neurotransmitter release machinery, associated to an increase in synaptic vesicle proteins expression. At the post-synaptic level, we report an increase in the expression of post-synaptic density proteins, involved in glutamatergic receptor anchoring. These results extend our understanding of neuronal homeostasis and reveal the developmental regulation of its expression in human cortical networks. Since induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neurons can be obtained from patients with neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases, our platform offers a versatile model for assessing human neural plasticity under physiological and pathological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Cordella
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
- Center for Life Nano- & Neuro-Science of Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Laura Ferrucci
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Chiara D’Antoni
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
- Center for Life Nano- & Neuro-Science of Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Silvia Ghirga
- Center for Life Nano- & Neuro-Science of Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Carlo Brighi
- Center for Life Nano- & Neuro-Science of Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), 00161 Rome, Italy
- CrestOptics S.p.A., Via di Torre Rossa 66, 00165 Rome, Italy
| | - Alessandro Soloperto
- Center for Life Nano- & Neuro-Science of Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Ylenia Gigante
- Center for Life Nano- & Neuro-Science of Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), 00161 Rome, Italy
- D-Tails s.r.l., Via di Torre Rossa 66, 00165 Rome, Italy
| | - Davide Ragozzino
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
- Santa Lucia Foundation, European Center for Brain Research, 00143 Rome, Italy
| | - Paola Bezzi
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, University of Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Correspondence: or (P.B.); or (S.D.A.)
| | - Silvia Di Angelantonio
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
- Center for Life Nano- & Neuro-Science of Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), 00161 Rome, Italy
- D-Tails s.r.l., Via di Torre Rossa 66, 00165 Rome, Italy
- Correspondence: or (P.B.); or (S.D.A.)
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Nietz AK, Popa LS, Streng ML, Carter RE, Kodandaramaiah SB, Ebner TJ. Wide-Field Calcium Imaging of Neuronal Network Dynamics In Vivo. Biology (Basel) 2022; 11. [PMID: 36358302 DOI: 10.3390/biology11111601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
A central tenet of neuroscience is that sensory, motor, and cognitive behaviors are generated by the communications and interactions among neurons, distributed within and across anatomically and functionally distinct brain regions. Therefore, to decipher how the brain plans, learns, and executes behaviors requires characterizing neuronal activity at multiple spatial and temporal scales. This includes simultaneously recording neuronal dynamics at the mesoscale level to understand the interactions among brain regions during different behavioral and brain states. Wide-field Ca2+ imaging, which uses single photon excitation and improved genetically encoded Ca2+ indicators, allows for simultaneous recordings of large brain areas and is proving to be a powerful tool to study neuronal activity at the mesoscopic scale in behaving animals. This review details the techniques used for wide-field Ca2+ imaging and the various approaches employed for the analyses of the rich neuronal-behavioral data sets obtained. Also discussed is how wide-field Ca2+ imaging is providing novel insights into both normal and altered neural processing in disease. Finally, we examine the limitations of the approach and new developments in wide-field Ca2+ imaging that are bringing new capabilities to this important technique for investigating large-scale neuronal dynamics.
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Atherton E, Brown S, Papiez E, Restrepo MI, Borton DA. Lipopolysaccharide-induced neuroinflammation disrupts functional connectivity and community structure in primary cortical microtissues. Sci Rep 2021; 11:22303. [PMID: 34785714 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-01616-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Three-dimensional (3D) neural microtissues are a powerful in vitro paradigm for studying brain development and disease under controlled conditions, while maintaining many key attributes of the in vivo environment. Here, we used primary cortical microtissues to study the effects of neuroinflammation on neural microcircuits. We demonstrated the use of a genetically encoded calcium indicator combined with a novel live-imaging platform to record spontaneous calcium transients in microtissues from day 14-34 in vitro. We implemented graph theory analysis of calcium activity to characterize underlying functional connectivity and community structure of microcircuits, which are capable of capturing subtle changes in network dynamics during early disease states. We found that microtissues cultured for 34 days displayed functional remodeling of microcircuits and that community structure strengthened over time. Lipopolysaccharide, a neuroinflammatory agent, significantly increased functional connectivity and disrupted community structure 5-9 days after exposure. These microcircuit-level changes have broad implications for the role of neuroinflammation in functional dysregulation of neural networks.
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Colombi I, Nieus T, Massimini M, Chiappalone M. Spontaneous and Perturbational Complexity in Cortical Cultures. Brain Sci 2021; 11:1453. [PMID: 34827452 PMCID: PMC8615728 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11111453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Revised: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Dissociated cortical neurons in vitro display spontaneously synchronized, low-frequency firing patterns, which can resemble the slow wave oscillations characterizing sleep in vivo. Experiments in humans, rodents, and cortical slices have shown that awakening or the administration of activating neuromodulators decrease slow waves, while increasing the spatio-temporal complexity of responses to perturbations. In this study, we attempted to replicate those findings using in vitro cortical cultures coupled with micro-electrode arrays and chemically treated with carbachol (CCh), to modulate sleep-like activity and suppress slow oscillations. We adapted metrics such as neural complexity (NC) and the perturbational complexity index (PCI), typically employed in animal and human brain studies, to quantify complexity in simplified, unstructured networks, both during resting state and in response to electrical stimulation. After CCh administration, we found a decrease in the amplitude of the initial response and a marked enhancement of the complexity during spontaneous activity. Crucially, unlike in cortical slices and intact brains, PCI in cortical cultures displayed only a moderate increase. This dissociation suggests that PCI, a measure of the complexity of causal interactions, requires more than activating neuromodulation and that additional factors, such as an appropriate circuit architecture, may be necessary. Exploring more structured in vitro networks, characterized by the presence of strong lateral connections, recurrent excitation, and feedback loops, may thus help to identify the features that are more relevant to support causal complexity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilaria Colombi
- Brain Development and Disease Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163 Genova, Italy;
| | - Thierry Nieus
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences “L. Sacco”, University of Milan, 20157 Milan, Italy; (T.N.); (M.M.)
| | - Marcello Massimini
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences “L. Sacco”, University of Milan, 20157 Milan, Italy; (T.N.); (M.M.)
- IRCCS, Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi, 20148 Milan, Italy
| | - Michela Chiappalone
- Department of Informatics, Bioengineering, Robotics and System Engineering, 16145 Genova, Italy
- Rehab Technologies Lab., Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163 Genova, Italy
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Aletti G, Benfenati A, Naldi G. A Semiautomatic Multi-Label Color Image Segmentation Coupling Dirichlet Problem and Colour Distances. J Imaging 2021; 7:208. [PMID: 34677294 DOI: 10.3390/jimaging7100208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2021] [Revised: 09/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Image segmentation is an essential but critical component in low level vision, image analysis, pattern recognition, and now in robotic systems. In addition, it is one of the most challenging tasks in image processing and determines the quality of the final results of the image analysis. Colour based segmentation could hence offer more significant extraction of information as compared to intensity or texture based segmentation. In this work, we propose a new local or global method for multi-label segmentation that combines a random walk based model with a direct label assignment computed using a suitable colour distance. Our approach is a semi-automatic image segmentation technique, since it requires user interaction for the initialisation of the segmentation process. The random walk part involves a combinatorial Dirichlet problem for a weighted graph, where the nodes are the pixel of the image, and the positive weights are related to the distances between pixels: in this work we propose a novel colour distance for computing such weights. In the random walker model we assign to each pixel of the image a probability quantifying the likelihood that the node belongs to some subregion. The computation of the colour distance is pursued by employing the coordinates in a colour space (e.g., RGB, XYZ, YCbCr) of a pixel and of the ones in its neighbourhood (e.g., in a 8–neighbourhood). The segmentation process is, therefore, reduced to an optimisation problem coupling the probabilities from the random walker approach, and the similarity with respect the labelled pixels. A further investigation involves an adaptive preprocess strategy using a regression tree for learning suitable weights to be used in the computation of the colour distance. We discuss the properties of the new method also by comparing with standard random walk and k−means approaches. The experimental results carried on the White Blood Cell (WBC) dataset and GrabCut datasets show the remarkable performance of the proposed method in comparison with state-of-the-art methods, such as normalised random walk and normalised lazy random walk, with respect to segmentation quality and computational time. Moreover, it reveals to be very robust with respect to the presence of noise and to the choice of the colourspace.
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Ghirga S, Chiodo L, Marrocchio R, Orlandi JG, Loppini A. Inferring Excitatory and Inhibitory Connections in Neuronal Networks. Entropy (Basel) 2021; 23:e23091185. [PMID: 34573810 PMCID: PMC8465838 DOI: 10.3390/e23091185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Revised: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The comprehension of neuronal network functioning, from most basic mechanisms of signal transmission to complex patterns of memory and decision making, is at the basis of the modern research in experimental and computational neurophysiology. While mechanistic knowledge of neurons and synapses structure increased, the study of functional and effective networks is more complex, involving emergent phenomena, nonlinear responses, collective waves, correlation and causal interactions. Refined data analysis may help in inferring functional/effective interactions and connectivity from neuronal activity. The Transfer Entropy (TE) technique is, among other things, well suited to predict structural interactions between neurons, and to infer both effective and structural connectivity in small- and large-scale networks. To efficiently disentangle the excitatory and inhibitory neural activities, in the article we present a revised version of TE, split in two contributions and characterized by a suited delay time. The method is tested on in silico small neuronal networks, built to simulate the calcium activity as measured via calcium imaging in two-dimensional neuronal cultures. The inhibitory connections are well characterized, still preserving a high accuracy for excitatory connections prediction. The method could be applied to study effective and structural interactions in systems of excitable cells, both in physiological and in pathological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Ghirga
- Center for Life Nano- & Neuro-Science, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161 Roma, Italy;
| | - Letizia Chiodo
- Engineering Department, Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome, Via Álvaro del Portillo 21, 00154 Roma, Italy;
| | - Riccardo Marrocchio
- Institute of Sound and Vibration Research, Highfield Campus, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK;
| | | | - Alessandro Loppini
- Center for Life Nano- & Neuro-Science, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161 Roma, Italy;
- Engineering Department, Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome, Via Álvaro del Portillo 21, 00154 Roma, Italy;
- Correspondence:
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8
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Brighi C, Salaris F, Soloperto A, Cordella F, Ghirga S, de Turris V, Rosito M, Porceddu PF, D’Antoni C, Reggiani A, Rosa A, Di Angelantonio S. Novel fragile X syndrome 2D and 3D brain models based on human isogenic FMRP-KO iPSCs. Cell Death Dis 2021; 12:498. [PMID: 33993189 PMCID: PMC8124071 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-021-03776-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Revised: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder, characterized by intellectual disability and sensory deficits, caused by epigenetic silencing of the FMR1 gene and subsequent loss of its protein product, fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP). Delays in synaptic and neuronal development in the cortex have been reported in FXS mouse models; however, the main goal of translating lab research into pharmacological treatments in clinical trials has been so far largely unsuccessful, leaving FXS a still incurable disease. Here, we generated 2D and 3D in vitro human FXS model systems based on isogenic FMR1 knock-out mutant and wild-type human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) lines. Phenotypical and functional characterization of cortical neurons derived from FMRP-deficient hiPSCs display altered gene expression and impaired differentiation when compared with the healthy counterpart. FXS cortical cultures show an increased number of GFAP positive cells, likely astrocytes, increased spontaneous network activity, and depolarizing GABAergic transmission. Cortical brain organoid models show an increased number of glial cells, and bigger organoid size. Our findings demonstrate that FMRP is required to correctly support neuronal and glial cell proliferation, and to set the correct excitation/inhibition ratio in human brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlo Brighi
- grid.25786.3e0000 0004 1764 2907Center for Life Nano- & Neuro-Science, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161 Rome, Italy ,grid.7841.aDepartment of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Federico Salaris
- grid.25786.3e0000 0004 1764 2907Center for Life Nano- & Neuro-Science, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161 Rome, Italy ,grid.7841.aDepartment of Biology and Biotechnologies “Charles Darwin”, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Alessandro Soloperto
- grid.25786.3e0000 0004 1764 2907Center for Life Nano- & Neuro-Science, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Federica Cordella
- grid.25786.3e0000 0004 1764 2907Center for Life Nano- & Neuro-Science, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161 Rome, Italy ,grid.7841.aDepartment of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Silvia Ghirga
- grid.25786.3e0000 0004 1764 2907Center for Life Nano- & Neuro-Science, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161 Rome, Italy ,grid.7841.aDepartment of Physics, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Valeria de Turris
- grid.25786.3e0000 0004 1764 2907Center for Life Nano- & Neuro-Science, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Rosito
- grid.25786.3e0000 0004 1764 2907Center for Life Nano- & Neuro-Science, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Pier Francesca Porceddu
- grid.25786.3e0000 0004 1764 2907D3 Validation Research Line, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morego 30, 16163 Genova, Italy
| | - Chiara D’Antoni
- grid.25786.3e0000 0004 1764 2907Center for Life Nano- & Neuro-Science, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161 Rome, Italy ,grid.7841.aDepartment of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Angelo Reggiani
- grid.25786.3e0000 0004 1764 2907D3 Validation Research Line, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morego 30, 16163 Genova, Italy
| | - Alessandro Rosa
- grid.25786.3e0000 0004 1764 2907Center for Life Nano- & Neuro-Science, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161 Rome, Italy ,grid.7841.aDepartment of Biology and Biotechnologies “Charles Darwin”, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Silvia Di Angelantonio
- grid.25786.3e0000 0004 1764 2907Center for Life Nano- & Neuro-Science, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161 Rome, Italy ,grid.7841.aDepartment of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
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Forro C, Caron D, Angotzi GN, Gallo V, Berdondini L, Santoro F, Palazzolo G, Panuccio G. Electrophysiology Read-Out Tools for Brain-on-Chip Biotechnology. Micromachines (Basel) 2021; 12:124. [PMID: 33498905 PMCID: PMC7912435 DOI: 10.3390/mi12020124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Revised: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Brain-on-Chip (BoC) biotechnology is emerging as a promising tool for biomedical and pharmaceutical research applied to the neurosciences. At the convergence between lab-on-chip and cell biology, BoC couples in vitro three-dimensional brain-like systems to an engineered microfluidics platform designed to provide an in vivo-like extrinsic microenvironment with the aim of replicating tissue- or organ-level physiological functions. BoC therefore offers the advantage of an in vitro reproduction of brain structures that is more faithful to the native correlate than what is obtained with conventional cell culture techniques. As brain function ultimately results in the generation of electrical signals, electrophysiology techniques are paramount for studying brain activity in health and disease. However, as BoC is still in its infancy, the availability of combined BoC-electrophysiology platforms is still limited. Here, we summarize the available biological substrates for BoC, starting with a historical perspective. We then describe the available tools enabling BoC electrophysiology studies, detailing their fabrication process and technical features, along with their advantages and limitations. We discuss the current and future applications of BoC electrophysiology, also expanding to complementary approaches. We conclude with an evaluation of the potential translational applications and prospective technology developments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Csaba Forro
- Tissue Electronics, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Largo Barsanti e Matteucci, 53-80125 Naples, Italy; (C.F.); (F.S.)
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Davide Caron
- Enhanced Regenerative Medicine, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morego, 30-16163 Genova, Italy; (D.C.); (V.G.)
| | - Gian Nicola Angotzi
- Microtechnology for Neuroelectronics, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morego, 30-16163 Genova, Italy; (G.N.A.); (L.B.)
| | - Vincenzo Gallo
- Enhanced Regenerative Medicine, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morego, 30-16163 Genova, Italy; (D.C.); (V.G.)
| | - Luca Berdondini
- Microtechnology for Neuroelectronics, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morego, 30-16163 Genova, Italy; (G.N.A.); (L.B.)
| | - Francesca Santoro
- Tissue Electronics, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Largo Barsanti e Matteucci, 53-80125 Naples, Italy; (C.F.); (F.S.)
| | - Gemma Palazzolo
- Enhanced Regenerative Medicine, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morego, 30-16163 Genova, Italy; (D.C.); (V.G.)
| | - Gabriella Panuccio
- Enhanced Regenerative Medicine, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morego, 30-16163 Genova, Italy; (D.C.); (V.G.)
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Deguchi T, Bianchini P, Palazzolo G, Oneto M, Diaspro A, Duocastella M. Volumetric Lissajous confocal microscopy with tunable spatiotemporal resolution. Biomed Opt Express 2020; 11:6293-6310. [PMID: 33282491 PMCID: PMC7687945 DOI: 10.1364/boe.400777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2020] [Revised: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 10/06/2020] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Dynamic biological systems present challenges to existing three-dimensional (3D) optical microscopes because of their continuous temporal and spatial changes. Most techniques are rigid in adapting the acquisition parameters over time, as in confocal microscopy, where a laser beam is sequentially scanned at a predefined spatial sampling rate and pixel dwell time. Such lack of tunability forces a user to provide scan parameters, which may not be optimal, based on the best assumption before an acquisition starts. Here, we developed volumetric Lissajous confocal microscopy to achieve unsurpassed 3D scanning speed with a tunable sampling rate. The system combines an acoustic liquid lens for continuous axial focus translation with a resonant scanning mirror. Accordingly, the excitation beam follows a dynamic Lissajous trajectory enabling sub-millisecond acquisitions of image series containing 3D information at a sub-Nyquist sampling rate. By temporal accumulation and/or advanced interpolation algorithms, the volumetric imaging rate is selectable using a post-processing step at the desired spatiotemporal resolution for events of interest. We demonstrate multicolor and calcium imaging over volumes of tens of cubic microns with 3D acquisition speeds of 30 Hz and frame rates up to 5 kHz.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takahiro Deguchi
- Nanoscopy & NIC@IIT, Center for Human Technologies, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via E. Melen 83B, 16152 Genoa, Italy
| | - Paolo Bianchini
- Nanoscopy & NIC@IIT, Center for Human Technologies, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via E. Melen 83B, 16152 Genoa, Italy
| | - Gemma Palazzolo
- Enhanced Regenerative Medicine, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego 30, 16163 Genoa, Italy
| | - Michele Oneto
- Nanoscopy & NIC@IIT, Center for Human Technologies, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via E. Melen 83B, 16152 Genoa, Italy
| | - Alberto Diaspro
- Nanoscopy & NIC@IIT, Center for Human Technologies, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via E. Melen 83B, 16152 Genoa, Italy
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Universita di Genova, Via Dodecaneso 33, 16146, Genoa, Italy
| | - Martí Duocastella
- Nanoscopy & NIC@IIT, Center for Human Technologies, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via E. Melen 83B, 16152 Genoa, Italy
- Departament de Física Aplicada, Universitat de Barcelona, C/Marti i Franques 1, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
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Lovett ML, Nieland TJ, Dingle YTL, Kaplan DL. Innovations in 3-Dimensional Tissue Models of Human Brain Physiology and Diseases. Adv Funct Mater 2020; 30:1909146. [PMID: 34211358 PMCID: PMC8240470 DOI: 10.1002/adfm.201909146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2019] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
3-dimensional (3D) laboratory tissue cultures have emerged as an alternative to traditional 2-dimensional (2D) culture systems that do not recapitulate native cell behavior. The discrepancy between in vivo and in vitro tissue-cell-molecular responses impedes understanding of human physiology in general and creates roadblocks for the discovery of therapeutic solutions. Two parallel approaches have emerged for the design of 3D culture systems. The first is biomedical engineering methodology, including bioengineered materials, bioprinting, microfluidics and bioreactors, used alone or in combination, to mimic the microenvironments of native tissues. The second approach is organoid technology, in which stem cells are exposed to chemical and/or biological cues to activate differentiation programs that are reminiscent of human (prenatal) development. This review article describes recent technological advances in engineering 3D cultures that more closely resemble the human brain. The contributions of in vitro 3D tissue culture systems to new insights in neurophysiology, neurological diseases and regenerative medicine are highlighted. Perspectives on designing improved tissue models of the human brain are offered, focusing on an integrative approach merging biomedical engineering tools with organoid biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael L. Lovett
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, 4 Colby Street, Medford, MA 02155
| | - Thomas J.F. Nieland
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, 4 Colby Street, Medford, MA 02155
| | - Yu-Ting L. Dingle
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, 4 Colby Street, Medford, MA 02155
| | - David L. Kaplan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, 4 Colby Street, Medford, MA 02155
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12
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Dingle YTL, Liaudanskaya V, Finnegan LT, Berlind KC, Mizzoni C, Georgakoudi I, Nieland TJF, Kaplan DL. Functional Characterization of Three-Dimensional Cortical Cultures for In Vitro Modeling of Brain Networks. iScience 2020; 23:101434. [PMID: 32805649 PMCID: PMC7452433 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2020] [Revised: 06/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Three-dimensional (3D) in vitro cultures recapitulate key features of the brain including morphology, cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix interactions, gradients of factors, and mechanical properties. However, there remains a need for experimental and computational tools to investigate network functions in these 3D models. To address this need, we present an experimental system based on 3D scaffold-based cortical neuron cultures in which we expressed the genetically encoded calcium indicator GCaMP6f to record neuronal activity at the millimeter-scale. Functional neural network descriptors were computed with graph-theory-based network analysis methods, showing the formation of functional networks at 3 weeks of culture. Changes to the functional network properties upon perturbations to glutamatergic neurotransmission or GABAergic neurotransmission were quantitatively characterized. The results illustrate the applicability of our 3D experimental system for the study of brain network development, function, and disruption in a biomimetic microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Ting L Dingle
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, 200 College Avenue, Medford, MA 02155, USA
| | - Volha Liaudanskaya
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, 200 College Avenue, Medford, MA 02155, USA
| | - Liam T Finnegan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, 200 College Avenue, Medford, MA 02155, USA
| | - Kyler C Berlind
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, 200 College Avenue, Medford, MA 02155, USA
| | - Craig Mizzoni
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, 200 College Avenue, Medford, MA 02155, USA
| | - Irene Georgakoudi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, 200 College Avenue, Medford, MA 02155, USA
| | - Thomas J F Nieland
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, 200 College Avenue, Medford, MA 02155, USA
| | - David L Kaplan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, 200 College Avenue, Medford, MA 02155, USA.
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Abstract
Bioprinting aims to direct the spatial arrangement in three dimensions of cells, biomaterials, and growth factors. The biofabrication of clinically relevant constructs for the repair or modeling of either diseased or damaged tissues is rapidly advancing, resulting in the ability to three-dimensional (3D) print biomimetic platforms which imitate a large number of tissues in the human body. Primary tissue-specific cells are typically isolated from patients and used for the fabrication of 3D models for drug screening or tissue repair purposes. However, the lack of resilience of these platforms, due to the difficulties in harnessing, processing, and implanting patient-specific cells can limit regeneration ability. The printing of stem cells obviates these hurdles, producing functional in vitro models or implantable constructs. Advancements in biomaterial science are helping the development of inks suitable for the encapsulation and the printing of stem cells, promoting their functional growth and differentiation. This review specifically aims to investigate the most recent studies exploring innovative and functional approaches for the printing of 3D constructs to model disease or repair damaged tissues. Key concepts in tissue physiology are highlighted, reporting stem cell applications in biofabrication. Bioprinting technologies and biomaterial inks are listed and analyzed, including recent advancements in biomaterial design for bioprinting applications, commenting on the influence of biomaterial inks on the encapsulated stem cells. Ultimately, most recent successful efforts and clinical potentials for the manufacturing of functional physiological tissue substitutes are reported here, with a major focus on specific tissues, such as vasculature, heart, lung and airways, liver, bone and muscle.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Giancarlo Ruocco
- Center for Life Nano Science, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Rome, Italy
| | - Gianluca Cidonio
- Center for Life Nano Science, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Rome, Italy
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14
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Brighi C, Cordella F, Chiriatti L, Soloperto A, Di Angelantonio S. Retinal and Brain Organoids: Bridging the Gap Between in vivo Physiology and in vitro Micro-Physiology for the Study of Alzheimer's Diseases. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:655. [PMID: 32625060 PMCID: PMC7311765 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent progress in tissue engineering has led to increasingly complex approaches to investigate human neurodegenerative diseases in vitro, such as Alzheimer's disease, aiming to provide more functional and physiological models for the study of their pathogenesis, and possibly the identification of novel diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cortical and retinal organoids represent a novel class of in vitro three-dimensional models capable to recapitulate with a high similarity the structure and the complexity of the native brain and retinal tissues, thus providing a framework for better mimicking in a dish the patient's disease features. This review aims to discuss progress made over the years in the field of in vitro three-dimensional cell culture systems, and the benefits and disadvantages related to a possible application of organoids for the study of neurodegeneration associated with Alzheimer's disease, providing a promising breakthrough toward a personalized medicine approach and the reduction in the use of humanized animal models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlo Brighi
- Center for Life Nanoscience, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Rome, Italy
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Federica Cordella
- Center for Life Nanoscience, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Rome, Italy
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Luigi Chiriatti
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Silvia Di Angelantonio
- Center for Life Nanoscience, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Rome, Italy
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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15
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Ghirga S, Pagani F, Rosito M, Di Angelantonio S, Ruocco G, Leonetti M. Optonongenetic enhancement of activity in primary cortical neurons. J Opt Soc Am A Opt Image Sci Vis 2020; 37:643-652. [PMID: 32400549 DOI: 10.1364/josaa.385832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2019] [Accepted: 02/22/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
It has been recently demonstrated that the exposure of naive neuronal cells to light-at the basis of optogenetic techniques and calcium imaging measurements-may alter neuronal firing. Indeed, understanding the effect of light on nongenetically modified neurons is crucial for a correct interpretation of calcium imaging and optogenetic experiments. Here we investigated the effect of continuous visible LED light exposure (490 nm, $ 0.18 {-} 1.3\;{\rm mW}/{{\rm mm}^2} $0.18-1.3mW/mm2) on spontaneous activity of primary neuronal networks derived from the early postnatal mouse cortex. We demonstrated, by calcium imaging and patch clamp experiments, that illumination higher than $ 1.0\;{\rm mW}/{{\rm mm}^2} $1.0mW/mm2 causes an enhancement of network activity in cortical cultures. We investigated the possible origin of the phenomena by blocking the transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 (TRPV4) channel, demonstrating a complex connection between this temperature-dependent channel and the measured effect. The results presented here shed light on an exogenous artifact, potentially present in all calcium imaging experiments, that should be taken into account in the analysis of fluorescence data.
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Salaris F, Colosi C, Brighi C, Soloperto A, de Turris V, Benedetti MC, Ghirga S, Rosito M, Di Angelantonio S, Rosa A. 3D Bioprinted Human Cortical Neural Constructs Derived from Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells. J Clin Med 2019; 8:E1595. [PMID: 31581732 PMCID: PMC6832547 DOI: 10.3390/jcm8101595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2019] [Revised: 09/23/2019] [Accepted: 09/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Bioprinting techniques use bioinks made of biocompatible non-living materials and cells to build 3D constructs in a controlled manner and with micrometric resolution. 3D bioprinted structures representative of several human tissues have been recently produced using cells derived by differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Human iPSCs can be differentiated in a wide range of neurons and glia, providing an ideal tool for modeling the human nervous system. Here we report a neural construct generated by 3D bioprinting of cortical neurons and glial precursors derived from human iPSCs. We show that the extrusion-based printing process does not impair cell viability in the short and long term. Bioprinted cells can be further differentiated within the construct and properly express neuronal and astrocytic markers. Functional analysis of 3D bioprinted cells highlights an early stage of maturation and the establishment of early network activity behaviors. This work lays the basis for generating more complex and faithful 3D models of the human nervous systems by bioprinting neural cells derived from iPSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Salaris
- Center for Life Nano Science, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161 Rome, Italy; (F.S.); (C.C.); (C.B.); (A.S.); (V.d.T.); (S.G.); (M.R.)
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology Charles Darwin, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy;
| | - Cristina Colosi
- Center for Life Nano Science, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161 Rome, Italy; (F.S.); (C.C.); (C.B.); (A.S.); (V.d.T.); (S.G.); (M.R.)
| | - Carlo Brighi
- Center for Life Nano Science, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161 Rome, Italy; (F.S.); (C.C.); (C.B.); (A.S.); (V.d.T.); (S.G.); (M.R.)
| | - Alessandro Soloperto
- Center for Life Nano Science, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161 Rome, Italy; (F.S.); (C.C.); (C.B.); (A.S.); (V.d.T.); (S.G.); (M.R.)
| | - Valeria de Turris
- Center for Life Nano Science, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161 Rome, Italy; (F.S.); (C.C.); (C.B.); (A.S.); (V.d.T.); (S.G.); (M.R.)
| | - Maria Cristina Benedetti
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology Charles Darwin, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy;
| | - Silvia Ghirga
- Center for Life Nano Science, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161 Rome, Italy; (F.S.); (C.C.); (C.B.); (A.S.); (V.d.T.); (S.G.); (M.R.)
| | - Maria Rosito
- Center for Life Nano Science, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161 Rome, Italy; (F.S.); (C.C.); (C.B.); (A.S.); (V.d.T.); (S.G.); (M.R.)
| | - Silvia Di Angelantonio
- Center for Life Nano Science, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161 Rome, Italy; (F.S.); (C.C.); (C.B.); (A.S.); (V.d.T.); (S.G.); (M.R.)
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Alessandro Rosa
- Center for Life Nano Science, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161 Rome, Italy; (F.S.); (C.C.); (C.B.); (A.S.); (V.d.T.); (S.G.); (M.R.)
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology Charles Darwin, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy;
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Soloperto A, Boccaccio A, Contestabile A, Moroni M, Hallinan GI, Palazzolo G, Chad J, Deinhardt K, Carugo D, Difato F. Mechano-sensitization of mammalian neuronal networks through expression of the bacterial large-conductance mechanosensitive ion channel. J Cell Sci 2018; 131:jcs210393. [PMID: 29361543 PMCID: PMC5897719 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.210393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2017] [Accepted: 01/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Development of remote stimulation techniques for neuronal tissues represents a challenging goal. Among the potential methods, mechanical stimuli are the most promising vectors to convey information non-invasively into intact brain tissue. In this context, selective mechano-sensitization of neuronal circuits would pave the way to develop a new cell-type-specific stimulation approach. We report here, for the first time, the development and characterization of mechano-sensitized neuronal networks through the heterologous expression of an engineered bacterial large-conductance mechanosensitive ion channel (MscL). The neuronal functional expression of the MscL was validated through patch-clamp recordings upon application of calibrated suction pressures. Moreover, we verified the effective development of in-vitro neuronal networks expressing the engineered MscL in terms of cell survival, number of synaptic puncta and spontaneous network activity. The pure mechanosensitivity of the engineered MscL, with its wide genetic modification library, may represent a versatile tool to further develop a mechano-genetic approach.This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Soloperto
- Neuroscience and Brain Technologies Dept., Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163 Genoa, Italy
| | - Anna Boccaccio
- Institute of Biophysics, National Research Council of Italy, 16149 Genoa, Italy
| | - Andrea Contestabile
- Neuroscience and Brain Technologies Dept., Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163 Genoa, Italy
| | - Monica Moroni
- Center for Neuroscience and Cognitive Systems, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 38068 Rovereto, Italy
| | - Grace I Hallinan
- Biological Sciences and Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, SO17 1BJ Southampton, UK
| | - Gemma Palazzolo
- Neuroscience and Brain Technologies Dept., Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163 Genoa, Italy
| | - John Chad
- Biological Sciences and Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, SO17 1BJ Southampton, UK
| | - Katrin Deinhardt
- Biological Sciences and Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, SO17 1BJ Southampton, UK
| | - Dario Carugo
- Faculty of Engineering and the Environment, University of Southampton, SO17 1BJ Southampton, UK
| | - Francesco Difato
- Neuroscience and Brain Technologies Dept., Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163 Genoa, Italy
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