DIRECTIONAL GUIDANCE OF NEURITE OUTGROWTH USING SUBSTRATES PATTERNED WITH BIOMATERIALS

The use of geometrically simple networks formed by cultured neurons fa cilitates the electrophysiological study of biological computation. We used chemically patterned substrates for culturing SK-N-SH human neur oblastoma cells and embryonic rat hippocampal neurons to geometrically control their neurite outgrowth. On patterned substrates (parallel li nes, 5-10 mu m width), the neuroblastoma cells developed bipolar morph ology with long neuritic processes (similar to 200 mu m) in the presen ce of retinoic acid. Hippocampal neurons cultured on substrates of hex agonal patterns extended their neurites preferentially along the circu mferences of the hexagons and formed geometrically well defined networ k structures.