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  • Ultraflexible nanoelectronic probes form reliable, glial scar-free neural integration.

Ultraflexible nanoelectronic probes form reliable, glial scar-free neural integration.

Science advances (2017-03-02)
Lan Luan, Xiaoling Wei, Zhengtuo Zhao, Jennifer J Siegel, Ojas Potnis, Catherine A Tuppen, Shengqing Lin, Shams Kazmi, Robert A Fowler, Stewart Holloway, Andrew K Dunn, Raymond A Chitwood, Chong Xie
ABSTRACT

Implanted brain electrodes construct the only means to electrically interface with individual neurons in vivo, but their recording efficacy and biocompatibility pose limitations on scientific and clinical applications. We showed that nanoelectronic thread (NET) electrodes with subcellular dimensions, ultraflexibility, and cellular surgical footprints form reliable, glial scar-free neural integration. We demonstrated that NET electrodes reliably detected and tracked individual units for months; their impedance, noise level, single-unit recording yield, and the signal amplitude remained stable during long-term implantation. In vivo two-photon imaging and postmortem histological analysis revealed seamless, subcellular integration of NET probes with the local cellular and vasculature networks, featuring fully recovered capillaries with an intact blood-brain barrier and complete absence of chronic neuronal degradation and glial scar.

MATERIALS
Product Number
Brand
Product Description

Sigma-Aldrich
Anti-GFAP, clone GA5, AF 647 Conjugate
Sigma-Aldrich
Anti-NeuN Antibody, clone A60, Alexa Fluor488 conjugated, clone A60, Chemicon®, from mouse