Extracellular single-unit recordings from peripheral nerve axons in vitro by a novel multichannel microelectrode array
Extracellular single-unit recordings from peripheral nerve axons in vitro by a novel multichannel microelectrode array
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DOI：
10.1016/j.snb.2020.128111
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发表时间：
2020-07-15
影响因子：
8.4
通讯作者：
Feng, Bin
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Guo, Tiantian;Chen, Longtu;Feng, Bin
外周神经系统（PNS）是中枢神经系统传入输入（例如，伤害性输入信号组织损伤）调节的一个有吸引力的目标。为了进一步了解PNS神经编码和调制的机制，需要来自单个外周神经元或轴突的单单位记录。周围神经纤维周围的多个结缔组织层阻碍了现有电极或电极阵列的电记录。在这项研究中，我们通过硅基微加工开发了一种新的微电极阵列（MEA），该阵列由5个平行的亲水金电极组成，周围是硅化的疏水表面。这种新颖的亲水/疏水表面模式引导周围神经细丝自对准亲水电极，这大大降低了进行单单元记录的技术挑战。我们通过记录小鼠坐骨神经中单个轴突的同时单单位动作电位来验证我们的MEA，包括有髓鞘a纤维和无髓鞘c纤维。我们通过增加神经干电刺激强度来证实我们的记录是来自单个轴突的单个单元，这不会改变峰值的形状或振幅。通过减少技术挑战，我们的新颖MEA将可能允许外围单单元记录被更大的研究团体采用，从而加快我们对周围神经编码和调制的机制理解。
The peripheral nervous system (PNS) is an attractive target for modulation of afferent input (e.g., nociceptive input signaling tissue damage) to the central nervous system. To advance mechanistic understanding of PNS neural encoding and modulation requires single-unit recordings from individual peripheral neurons or axons. This is challenged by multiple connective tissue layers surrounding peripheral nerve fibers that prevent electrical recordings by existing electrodes or electrode arrays. In this study, we developed a novel microelectrode array (MEA) via silicon-based microfabrication that consists of 5 parallel hydrophilic gold electrodes surrounded by silanized hydrophobic surfaces. This novel hydrophilic/hydrophobic surface pattern guides the peripheral nerve filaments to self-align towards the hydrophilic electrodes, which dramatically reduces the technical challenges in conducting single-unit recordings. We validated our MEA by recording simultaneous single-unit action potentials from individual axons in mouse sciatic nerves, including both myelinated A-fibers and unmyelinated C-fibers. We confirmed that our recordings were single units from individual axons by increasing nerve trunk electrical stimulus intensity, which did not alter the spike shape or amplitude. By reducing the technical challenges, our novel MEA will likely allow peripheral single-unit recordings to be adopted by a larger research community and thus expedite our mechanistic understanding of peripheral neural encoding and modulation.