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PLASTICITY IN IPSC DERIVED 2D CORTICAL NEURONAL NETWORKS
David Jenkinsand 5 co-authors
Aston University - Aston Institute for Membrane Excellence
FENS Forum 2026 (2026)
Barcelona, Spain
Board PS02-07PM-483
Presentation
Date TBA
Board: PS02-07PM-483
Event Information
Poster Board
PS02-07PM-483
Poster
View posterAbstract
As part of the NeuChiP project, to develop biological AI, we sought to define the plasticity-relevant functional properties of human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived cortical networks. Our objective was to establish the capacity, maturity, and network-level response characteristics of human cultured cortical assemblies under electrophysiological and optical interrogation.
We generated mature 2D cortical networks from both hiPSC-derived neurons and mouse primary cortex. Functional activity was assessed using fluorescence calcium imaging and high-density microelectrode array recordings (3Brain HD-MEA). hiPSC-derived cultures were plated on coverslips or HD-MEA chips, while mouse P0–P1 primary cortical neurons served as benchmark networks and were recorded between DIV14 and DIV25. Immunocytochemistry confirmed the presence of glutamatergic neurons, GABAergic interneurons, and astrocytes.
Both human and mouse 2D cultures exhibited spontaneous firing and synchronous, spatially propagating waves of activity. Networks responded robustly to electrical stimulation and optogenetic activation of Channelrhodopsin, with defined spatiotemporal stimulation patterns eliciting network-wide responses extending up to 2200 µm (10–70 µA). Interneuron contributions were demonstrated by altered activity dynamics following pharmacological blockade of GABAA receptors, SR95531. Furthermore, focal and distributed electrical stimulation delivered at tetanic and theta-burst frequencies induced potentiation, expressed as a 77.7 ± 1.7% increase in mean firing rate.
Together, these results establish that hiPSC-derived cortical 2D networks display mature, interrogable dynamics and plasticity-relevant responses, supporting their suitability as an experimental platform for NeuChiP.
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 964877 – NEUCHIP (https://neuchip.eu/).
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