Patterning of populations of spinal cord neurons on silicon micromachined substrates by means of a microfluidic system

Abstract

Describes a technique based on the hydraulically driven deposition of adhesion molecules for patterning populations of neurons on silicon micromachined substrates. First, the design and fabrication process of the silicon micromachined substrates and the design of a flow-through chamber for the localised deposition of adhesive proteins are described. The experimental protocol for the deposition of the adhesive proteins is then described. Finally, the results of experiments of entrapment of chick embryo spinal cord neurons in microstructures of the silicon substrates and of formation of patterned biological neural networks are shown.