Issue 22, 2012

Single neuron capture and axonal development in three-dimensional microscale hydrogels

Abstract

Autapse is an unusual type of synapse generated by a neuron on itself. The ability to monitor axonal growth of single neurons and autapse formation in three-dimensions (3D) may provide fundamental information relating to many cellular processes, such as axonal development, synaptic plasticity and neural signal transmission. However, monitoring such growth is technically challenging due to the requirement for precise capture and long-term analysis of single neurons in 3D. Herein, we present a simple two-step photolithography method to efficiently capture single cells in microscale gelatin methacrylate hydrogel rings. We applied this method to capture and culture single neurons. The results demonstrated that neural axons grew and consequently formed axonal circles, indicating that our method could be an enabling tool to analyze axonal development and autapse formation. This method holds great potential for impact in multiple areas, such as neuroscience, cancer biology, and stem cell biology.

Graphical abstract: Single neuron capture and axonal development in three-dimensional microscale hydrogels

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
02 Apr 2012
Accepted
08 Jun 2012
First published
13 Jun 2012

Lab Chip, 2012,12, 4724-4731

Single neuron capture and axonal development in three-dimensional microscale hydrogels

Y. Fan, F. Xu, G. Huang, T. J. Lu and W. Xing, Lab Chip, 2012, 12, 4724 DOI: 10.1039/C2LC40312A

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements