Aqrawe Z, Patel N, Vyas Y, Bansal M, Montgomery J, Travas-Sejdic J, Svirskis D. A simultaneous optical and electrical in-vitro neuronal recording system to evaluate microelectrode performance.
PLoS One 2020;
15:e0237709. [PMID:
32817653 DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0237709]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2019] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives
In this paper, we aim to detail the setup of a high spatio-temporal resolution, electrical recording system utilising planar microelectrode arrays with simultaneous optical imaging suitable for evaluating microelectrode performance with a proposed ′performance factor′ metric.
Methods
Techniques that would facilitate low noise electrical recordings were coupled with voltage sensitive dyes and neuronal activity was recorded both electrically via a customised amplification system and optically via a high speed CMOS camera. This technique was applied to characterise microelectrode recording performance of gold and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)/polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT/PSS) coated electrodes through traditional signal to noise (SNR) calculations as well as the proposed performance factor.
Results
Neuronal activity was simultaneously recorded using both electrical and optical techniques and this activity was confirmed via tetrodotoxin application to inhibit action potential firing. PEDOT/PSS outperformed gold using both measurements, however, the performance factor metric estimated a 3 fold improvement in signal transduction when compared to gold, whereas SNR estimated an 8 fold improvement when compared to gold.
Conclusion
The design and functionality of a system to record from neurons both electrically, through microelectrode arrays, and optically via voltage sensitive dyes was successfully achieved.
Significance
The high spatiotemporal resolution of both electrical and optical methods will allow for an array of applications such as improved detection of subthreshold synaptic events, validation of spike sorting algorithms and a provides a robust evaluation of extracellular microelectrode performance.
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