Experimental and theoretical analysis of neuron-transistor hybrid electrical coupling: The relationships between the electro-anatomy of cultured Aplysia neurons and the recorded field potentials

Ariel Cohen, Joseph Shappir, Shlomo Yitzchaik, Micha E. Spira*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

33 Scopus citations

Abstract

Understanding the mechanisms that generate field potentials (FPs) by neurons grown on semiconductor chips is essential for implementing neuro-electronic devices. Earlier studies emphasized that FPs are generated by current flow between differentially expressed ion channels on the membranes facing the chip surface, and those facing the culture medium in electrically compact cells. Less is known, however, about the mechanisms that generate FPs by action potentials (APs) that propagate along typical non-isopotential neurons. Using Aplysia neurons cultured on floating gate-transistors, we found that the FPs generated by APs in cultured neurons are produced by current flow along neuronal compartments comprising the axon, cell body, and neurites, rather than by flow between the membrane facing the chip substrate and that facing the culture medium. We demonstrate that the FPs waveform generated by non-isopotential neurons largely depends on the morphology of the neuron.

Original languageAmerican English
Pages (from-to)656-663
Number of pages8
JournalBiosensors and Bioelectronics
Volume22
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - 15 Dec 2006

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This study was supported by a grant from the Future and Emerging Technologies arm of the 5th IST Programme (No. IST-1999-29091). Parts of the study were carried out at the Charles E. Smith Family Laboratory for Collaborative Research in Psychobiology. M.E. Spira is the Levi DeViali Professor in Neurobiology.

Keywords

  • Aplysia
  • Field potential
  • Neuro-electronic hybrids
  • Transistor

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