A three-dimensional neuronal culture technique that controls the direction of neurite elongation and the position of soma to mimic the layered struure of the brain

摘要

We developed a novel technique for constructing 3D neuronal networks with a layered structure on the basis of the orientation of collagen fibers and PDMS micro-chambers. This method allows the control of the cell position and the direction of neurite elongation in a 3D gel. Using this method, we mimicked the 3D layer structure of a cerebral cortex at the same cellular density as natural brain tissue, which controlled the direction of neuronal processes in straight lines in the interlayers. Furthermore, we confirmed that AP propagation occurred via a chemical synapse, and that it occurred at the same velocity as that recorded in natural biological tissue. Our technique may facilitate the fabrication of neuronal tissue grafis, the next generation of regenerative medicine, and drug screening assays using iPS cell-derived neurons.