Verlag des Forschungszentrums Jülich
JUEL-4285
Kotman, Niklas
Bidirectional Coupling of Neurons with a Microchip Integrating Microelectrodes and Field-Effect Transistors
II, 136 S., 2009
Introduction
During the last decades the field of bioelectronics has become of major interest for
applied and basic research alike. It is the science of joining man-made electronics
with biomolecules, single cells, or even whole clusters of cells or tissues to form a
hybrid that is able to perform functions which were innominate to each of the parts
the new device consists of.
Molecular electronics using biomolecules as part of their circuitry, or as sensing unit
in case of biosensors, are thougth to enhance the capabilities of known electronics to
become more reliable, sensitive, or cost efficient. The fusion of cells and electronics
might help to replace or restore body functions that were previously lost by disease or
accident. A great effort towards accomplishing this is made in the case of damaged
sensing organs such as cochlea or brainstem implants to restore hearing [1]. The
development of retinal implants to restore vision in humans has also seen successes
and first clinical trials [2, 3]. Establishing communication between remaining nerve
fibers and prostheses aims at restoring mobility for patients after amputation or
paralysis [4, 5]. Electrical brain stimulation in clinical therapy for the treatment of
Parkinson’s disease [6] or epilepsy [7] is also currently under development.
For this technology to become more reliable and to expand its field of applications, it
is crucial to investigate the basic working principles of the nervous systems and the
coupling of neuronal cells to microelectronic devices. The way neurons communicate
among each other, and by that process information, is hardly understood. In order
to fill this knowledge gap, techniques for both recording and stimulation of neuronal
activity need to be perfected. A device being capable of bidirectional coupling on
single-cell level could stimulate electrical acitivity inside a network of neurons and
simultaneously record the outcome of the neuronal computation at any given spot. ...
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