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Häkli M, Jäntti S, Joki T, Sukki L, Tornberg K, Aalto-Setälä K, Kallio P, Pekkanen-Mattila M, Narkilahti S. Human Neurons Form Axon-Mediated Functional Connections with Human Cardiomyocytes in Compartmentalized Microfluidic Chip. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23063148. [PMID: 35328569 PMCID: PMC8955890 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23063148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Revised: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The cardiac autonomic nervous system (cANS) regulates cardiac function by innervating cardiac tissue with axons, and cardiomyocytes (CMs) and neurons undergo comaturation during the heart innervation in embryogenesis. As cANS is essential for cardiac function, its dysfunctions might be fatal; therefore, cardiac innervation models for studying embryogenesis, cardiac diseases, and drug screening are needed. However, previously reported neuron-cardiomyocyte (CM) coculture chips lack studies of functional neuron–CM interactions with completely human-based cell models. Here, we present a novel completely human cell-based and electrophysiologically functional cardiac innervation on a chip in which a compartmentalized microfluidic device, a 3D3C chip, was used to coculture human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived neurons and CMs. The 3D3C chip enabled the coculture of both cell types with their respective culture media in their own compartments while allowing the neuronal axons to traverse between the compartments via microtunnels connecting the compartments. Furthermore, the 3D3C chip allowed the use of diverse analysis methods, including immunocytochemistry, RT-qPCR and video microscopy. This system resembled the in vivo axon-mediated neuron–CM interaction. In this study, the evaluation of the CM beating response during chemical stimulation of neurons showed that hiPSC-neurons and hiPSC-CMs formed electrophysiologically functional axon-mediated interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martta Häkli
- Heart Group, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33520 Tampere, Finland; (M.H.); (K.A.-S.); (M.P.-M.)
| | - Satu Jäntti
- Neuro Group, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33520 Tampere, Finland; (S.J.); (T.J.)
| | - Tiina Joki
- Neuro Group, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33520 Tampere, Finland; (S.J.); (T.J.)
| | - Lassi Sukki
- Micro- and Nanosystems Research Group, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33720 Tampere, Finland; (L.S.); (K.T.); (P.K.)
| | - Kaisa Tornberg
- Micro- and Nanosystems Research Group, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33720 Tampere, Finland; (L.S.); (K.T.); (P.K.)
| | - Katriina Aalto-Setälä
- Heart Group, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33520 Tampere, Finland; (M.H.); (K.A.-S.); (M.P.-M.)
- Heart Hospital, Tampere University Hospital, 33520 Tampere, Finland
| | - Pasi Kallio
- Micro- and Nanosystems Research Group, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33720 Tampere, Finland; (L.S.); (K.T.); (P.K.)
| | - Mari Pekkanen-Mattila
- Heart Group, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33520 Tampere, Finland; (M.H.); (K.A.-S.); (M.P.-M.)
| | - Susanna Narkilahti
- Neuro Group, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33520 Tampere, Finland; (S.J.); (T.J.)
- Correspondence:
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Functional Characterization of Human Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Models of the Brain with Microelectrode Arrays. Cells 2021; 11:cells11010106. [PMID: 35011667 PMCID: PMC8750870 DOI: 10.3390/cells11010106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Revised: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)-derived neuron cultures have emerged as models of electrical activity in the human brain. Microelectrode arrays (MEAs) measure changes in the extracellular electric potential of cell cultures or tissues and enable the recording of neuronal network activity. MEAs have been applied to both human subjects and hPSC-derived brain models. Here, we review the literature on the functional characterization of hPSC-derived two- and three-dimensional brain models with MEAs and examine their network function in physiological and pathological contexts. We also summarize MEA results from the human brain and compare them to the literature on MEA recordings of hPSC-derived brain models. MEA recordings have shown network activity in two-dimensional hPSC-derived brain models that is comparable to the human brain and revealed pathology-associated changes in disease models. Three-dimensional hPSC-derived models such as brain organoids possess a more relevant microenvironment, tissue architecture and potential for modeling the network activity with more complexity than two-dimensional models. hPSC-derived brain models recapitulate many aspects of network function in the human brain and provide valid disease models, but certain advancements in differentiation methods, bioengineering and available MEA technology are needed for these approaches to reach their full potential.
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Didier CM, Kundu A, Rajaraman S. Rapid Makerspace Microfabrication and Characterization of 3D Microelectrode Arrays (3D MEAs) for Organ-on-a-Chip Models. JOURNAL OF MICROELECTROMECHANICAL SYSTEMS : A JOINT IEEE AND ASME PUBLICATION ON MICROSTRUCTURES, MICROACTUATORS, MICROSENSORS, AND MICROSYSTEMS 2021; 30:853-863. [PMID: 34949905 PMCID: PMC8691745 DOI: 10.1109/jmems.2021.3110163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Integrated sensors in "on-a-chip" in vitro cellular models are a necessity for granularity in data collection required for advanced biosensors. As these models become more complex, the requirement for the integration of electrogenic cells is apparent. Interrogation of such cells, whether alone or within a connected cellular framework, are best achieved with microelectrodes, in the form of a microelectrode array (MEA). Makerspace microfabrication has thus far enabled novel and accessible approaches to meet these demands. Here, resin-based 3D printing, selective multimodal laser micromachining, and simple insulation strategies, define an approach to highly customizable and "on-demand" in vitro 3D MEA-based biosensor platforms. The scalability of this approach is aided by a novel makerspace microfabrication assisted technique denoted using the term Hypo-Rig. The MEA utilizes custom-defined metal microfabricated microelectrodes transitioned from planar (2D) to 3D using the Hypo-Rig. To simulate this transition process, COMSOL modeling is utilized to estimate transitionary forces and angles (with respect to normal). Practically, the Hypo-Rig demonstrated a force of ~40N, as well as a consistent 70° average angular transitionary performance which matched well with the COMSOL model. To illustrate the scalability potential, 3 × 3, 6 × 6, and 8 × 8 versions of the device were fabricated and characterized. The 3D MEAs, demonstrated impedance and phase measurements in the biologically relevant 1 kHz range of 45.4 kΩ, and -34.6° respectively, for polystyrene insulated, ~70μm sized microelectrodes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles M Didier
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, and the Nanoscience Technology Center at the University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816, USA
| | - Avra Kundu
- College of Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816, USA
| | - Swaminathan Rajaraman
- Nanoscience Technology Center, the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, the College of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and the Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816, USA
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Brofiga M, Pisano M, Raiteri R, Massobrio P. On the road to the brain-on-a-chip: a review on strategies, methods, and applications. J Neural Eng 2021; 18. [PMID: 34280903 DOI: 10.1088/1741-2552/ac15e4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
The brain is the most complex organ of our body. Such a complexity spans from the single-cell morphology up to the intricate connections that hundreds of thousands of neurons establish to create dense neuronal networks. All these components are involved in the genesis of the rich patterns of electrophysiological activity that characterize the brain. Over the years, researchers coming from different disciplines developedin vitrosimplified experimental models to investigate in a more controllable and observable way how neuronal ensembles generate peculiar firing rhythms, code external stimulations, or respond to chemical drugs. Nowadays, suchin vitromodels are namedbrain-on-a-chippointing out the relevance of the technological counterpart as artificial tool to interact with the brain: multi-electrode arrays are well-used devices to record and stimulate large-scale developing neuronal networks originated from dissociated cultures, brain slices, up to brain organoids. In this review, we will discuss the state of the art of the brain-on-a-chip, highlighting which structural and biological features a realisticin vitrobrain should embed (and how to achieve them). In particular, we identified two topological features, namely modular and three-dimensional connectivity, and a biological one (heterogeneity) that takes into account the huge number of neuronal types existing in the brain. At the end of this travel, we will show how 'far' we are from the goal and how interconnected-brain-regions-on-a-chip is the most appropriate wording to indicate the current state of the art.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Brofiga
- Department of Informatics, Bioengineering, Robotics, and Systems Engineering (DIBRIS), University of Genova, Genova, Italy
| | - Marietta Pisano
- Department of Informatics, Bioengineering, Robotics, and Systems Engineering (DIBRIS), University of Genova, Genova, Italy
| | - Roberto Raiteri
- Department of Informatics, Bioengineering, Robotics, and Systems Engineering (DIBRIS), University of Genova, Genova, Italy.,CNR- Institute of Biophysics, Genova, Italy
| | - Paolo Massobrio
- Department of Informatics, Bioengineering, Robotics, and Systems Engineering (DIBRIS), University of Genova, Genova, Italy.,National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN), Genova, Italy
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Passaro AP, Stice SL. Electrophysiological Analysis of Brain Organoids: Current Approaches and Advancements. Front Neurosci 2021; 14:622137. [PMID: 33510616 PMCID: PMC7835643 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.622137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 12/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain organoids, or cerebral organoids, have become widely used to study the human brain in vitro. As pluripotent stem cell-derived structures capable of self-organization and recapitulation of physiological cell types and architecture, brain organoids bridge the gap between relatively simple two-dimensional human cell cultures and non-human animal models. This allows for high complexity and physiological relevance in a controlled in vitro setting, opening the door for a variety of applications including development and disease modeling and high-throughput screening. While technologies such as single cell sequencing have led to significant advances in brain organoid characterization and understanding, improved functional analysis (especially electrophysiology) is needed to realize the full potential of brain organoids. In this review, we highlight key technologies for brain organoid development and characterization, then discuss current electrophysiological methods for brain organoid analysis. While electrophysiological approaches have improved rapidly for two-dimensional cultures, only in the past several years have advances been made to overcome limitations posed by the three-dimensionality of brain organoids. Here, we review major advances in electrophysiological technologies and analytical methods with a focus on advances with applicability for brain organoid analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Austin P. Passaro
- Regenerative Bioscience Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
- Division of Neuroscience, Biomedical & Health Sciences Institute, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Steven L. Stice
- Regenerative Bioscience Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
- Division of Neuroscience, Biomedical & Health Sciences Institute, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
- Department of Animal and Dairy Science, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
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Salari A, Dalton C. Editorial on the Special Issue on Microelectrode Arrays and Application to Medical Devices. MICROMACHINES 2020; 11:mi11080776. [PMID: 32823968 PMCID: PMC7464217 DOI: 10.3390/mi11080776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alinaghi Salari
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Science and Technology (iBEST), Toronto, ON M5B 1T8, Canada;
| | - Colin Dalton
- Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-403-210-8464
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