A compartmented neuronal culture system in microdevice format

This paper describes a microfabricated compartmented culture system (μ-CCS) for studying the effects of drugs on cultured neurons. We describe the fabrication of the microsystem and show the ability to culture DRG neurons in the microsystem. Furthermore, we demonstrate the ability to culture neurons with extensions growing into adjoining compartments while maintaining fluid isolation between compartments. The axonal growth pattern was controlled along the surface of the glass microelectrode substrate using a micropatterned collagen film. The ability to isolate fluids to selected compartments while simultaneously allowing intercompartmental growth of the axons enables various studies in which selected segments of neurons or populations of neurons can be selectively exposed to biochemical treatment. The neurotoxin vincristine was used as the test vehicle to demonstrate the functionality of the μ-CCS. Vincristine was applied to the axonal compartment to show that the interaction of drugs with DRG neurons progresses in a way similar to neurons cultured/exposed using conventional techniques.