Topic: microfluidic devices

Neuronal ensembles, groups of simultaneously active neurons, are considered to be one of basic forms of information representation in the mammalian cortex. However, the mechanisms underlying the modulation of neuronal ensembles yet remain to be fully understood. Here, we investigated external input-dependent modulation of neuronal ensembles in cultured neuronal networks with modular connectivity mimicking the mammalian cortex. The modular neuronal networks were fabricated by growing cultured rat cortical neurons in microfluidic devices. A fraction of the neurons was stimulated using optogeneti

Neural network formation throughout development and regeneration after injury depends on accuracy of axonal pathfinding, which is influenced by chemical and physical cues. Recently, there is growing evidence that local temperature fluctuations in the brain play a crucial role in axonal guidance. However, the precise mechanisms involved in this process are not completely understood. We hypothesize that spontaneous and trauma-induced axon growth is repelled by increasing nanoscale temperature gradients leading to growth inhibition and growth cone retraction. Transient receptor potential vanilloi