Electrically conductive 2D-PAN-containing surfaces as a culturing substrate for neurons

In the present contribution we report on a novel route to synthesize 2D-polyaniline (2D-PAN) on sulfonated-poly(styrene) (SPS) templates by allowing first monomer assembly followed by chemical oxidation to achieve polymerization. We show that Aplysia neurons grown on 2D-PAN exhibit an unusual growth pattern and adhesion to this conducting substrate that is manifested by the formation of giant lamellipodia. The lamellipodial domains are characterized by small gap between the plasma membrane and the 2D-PAN substrate (ca. 30 nm) and actin rich skeleton resembling the skeleton of growth cones. This behavior is characteristic to uniform substrates containing only 2D-PAN. However, in patterned substrates containing additionally poly(L-lysine) Aplysia neurons prefer to extend new neurites on the poly(L-lysine) domains.