Guided Neuronal Growth on Arrays of Biofunctionalized GaAs/InGaAs Semiconductor Microtubes

TL;DR

This paper presents a novel method for growing mouse neurons within semiconductor microtubes that guide axons and allow electrical and optical monitoring, potentially improving neural signal transduction.

Contribution

It introduces a new biofunctionalized GaAs/InGaAs microtube platform for neuronal growth and demonstrates successful neuron overgrowth with toxicity suppression techniques.

Findings

Neurons successfully grow within semiconductor microtubes.

Microtubes guide axon growth and enable signal probing.

Toxicity suppression technique is effective.

Abstract

We demonstrate embedded growth of cortical mouse neurons in dense arrays of semiconductor microtubes. The microtubes, fabricated from a strained GaAs/InGaAs heterostructure, guide axon growth through them and enable electrical and optical probing of propagating action potentials. The coaxial nature of the microtubes -- similar to myelin -- is expected to enhance the signal transduction along the axon. We present a technique of suppressing arsenic toxicity and prove the success of this technique by overgrowing neuronal mouse cells.