Neuronal growth on artificial structures with different materials

Abstract

Neuronal guidance on a device is a key issue to achieve artificial synapses towards the goal of developing artificial post-synaptic structures. NTT Basic Research Laboratories has established a method for examining the in vitro affinity of neurons to a substrate by observing in detail the interface between a neuron and a substrate surface using a focused ion beam/scanning electron microscope at the single neuron level. With this knowledge in hand, we fabricated nanostructures using materials with a high affinity to neurons and examined the ability to control neuronal growth on the structure. We demonstrated the possibility of achieving neuronal guidance on a nanopillar substrate of amorphous silicon, which solves one of several difficulties related to the realization of artificial synapses.