Utilizing Nanoscale Patterned Proteins To Create Neuronal Cells Circuits

Micro-patterning of neuronal cells in vitro is a critical step for studies in the fundamental biology of neuron-neuron and neuron-surface interactions. The selections of a negative surface modifying agent, such as an extracellular matrix protein like tenascin-C, and a specific positive surface, such as an antibody against neuronal cell adhesion molecules to support cell adhesion on specially designed surface patterns, would be important. The protein modified surfaces could then be used to arrange cells h specific circuits and control cell growth due to a specific protein function such as an inhibition of cell outgrowth. This protein immobilization method on the solid substrates could then be extended to be used as support layers for neuronal cell-based sensors, neuronal networks, biomedical devices, bioprocessing, and bioassays. In this study, we have developed a technique for protein patterning in two dimensions utilizing two proteins for in vitro studies of protein patterning to control cell function. Hippocampal neurons were observed to grow axons and dendrites on anti-NGF surfaces. The immobilized tenascin-C surface has demonstrated that tenascin-C inhibits axonal growth while promoting dendrite outgrowth