A Microfluidic Platform Integrated with Commercial Microelectrode Arrays for Neuronal Networks Development Studies

Microfluidic devices have been widely used in biological applications, including neurophysiological studies. The integration of microfluidic devices with micro electrode arrays (MEAs) enables the recording of neuronal network activity in a controlled microenvironment. In this work an integrated microfluidic device for neuronal cultures was developed, coupling a magnetically-based reversible PDMS microfluidic device with a commercial flat MEA. Neurons were cultured in a 500 µm channel and their activity was followed up to18 days in vitro. Maturation of the network, as well as the morphological and functional characteristics, were comparable with that of networks described in literature. Magnetic reversible bonding is able to reduce costs of the experimental setup and to increase the maximum sustainable pressures that can be obtained with advantages in many fields of application, particularly in the drug discovery field.