A chemical sensor using neurons and a 3-D micro-fluidic chip

In recent years, there has been a merger of microelectronics and biological sciences to develop integrated nano and micro-scale biosensors or biochips. The implementation of portable, rapid and economic methods for detecting different biological species on a chip will benefit from the development of electronic means for the analysis of cells. Neurons are very attractive as chemical sensors due to their sensitivity to specific toxins and their unique electrical properties. The use of closed well micro-fluidic devices for the growth of neurons has not been explored extensively. In this work, we will describe surface preparation techniques to enhance the neuronal cell viability and growth on microfabricated surfaces. We have fabricated micro-fluidic bio-chips for the trapping of neurons and to examine their growth. Neural cells are maintained in a chamber on the chip with fresh nutrient media continuously flowing through the chamber. The temporal viability of the neural cells within the chip will be reported. The long-term goals of the project include electrically measuring the viability of the cells inside the micro-fluidic chambers.