A micropatterned thermoplasmonic substrate for neuromodulation of in vitro neuronal networks

Andolfi, Andrea; Arnaldi, Pietro; Lisa, Donatella Di; Frega, Monica; Lagazzo, Alberto; Martinoia, Sergio; Pastorino, Laura

doi:10.1016/j.actbio.2022.12.036

Cited by 6 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 62 publications

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“…Recently, we have demonstrated that the polysaccharide chitosan (CHITO) by itself is able to support neuronal adhesion, growth and functional maturation in 2D cultures derived from both primary neurons and iNeurons co-cultured with astrocytes [35,36]. We also demonstrated that the same cell phenotypes seeded onto a granular CHITO scaffold can develop 3D highly interconnected and functional networks, up to 21 and 42 d in vitro respectively [17,37,38].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Long-term in vitro culture of 3D brain tissue model based on chitosan thermogel

Lisa,

Muzzi,

Lagazzo

et al. 2023

Biofabrication

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Methods for studying brain function and disease heavily rely on in vivo animal models, ex-vivo tissue slices, and 2D cell culture platforms. These methods all have limitations that significantly impact the clinical translatability of results. Consequently, models able to better recapitulate some aspects of in vivo human brain are needed as additional preclinical tools. In this context, 3D hydrogel-based in vitro models of the brain are considered promising tools. To create a 3D brain-on-a-chip model, a hydrogel capable of sustaining neuronal maturation over extended culture periods is required. Among biopolymeric hydrogels, chitosan-β-glycerophosphate (CHITO-β-GP) thermogels have demonstrated their versatility and applicability in the biomedical field over the years. In this study, we investigated the ability of this thermogel to encapsulate neuronal cells and support the functional maturation of a 3D neuronal network in long-term cultures. To the best of our knowledge, we demonstrated for the first time that CHITO-β-GP thermogel possesses optimal characteristics for promoting neuronal growth and the development of an electrophysiologically functional neuronal network derived from both primary rat neurons and neurons differentiated from human induced pluripotent stem cells (h-iPSCs) co-cultured with astrocytes. Specifically, two different formulations were firstly characterized by rheological, mechanical and injectability tests. Primary nervous cells and neurons differentiated from h-iPSCs were embedded into the two thermogel formulations. The 3D cultures were then deeply characterized by immunocytochemistry, confocal microscopy, and electrophysiological recordings, employing both 2D and 3D micro-electrode arrays. The thermogels supported the long-term culture of neuronal networks for up to 100 d. In conclusion, CHITO-β-GP thermogels exhibit excellent mechanical properties, stability over time under culture conditions, and bioactivity toward nervous cells. Therefore, they are excellent candidates as artificial extracellular matrices in brain-on-a-chip models, with applications in neurodegenerative disease modeling, drug screening, and neurotoxicity evaluation.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Long-term in vitro culture of 3D brain tissue model based on chitosan thermogel

Lisa,

Muzzi,

Lagazzo

et al. 2023

Biofabrication

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“…12 Bioactive factors can be spatially patterned onto synthetic surfaces using a micro-contactor inkjet. 18,[41][42][43][44][45][46] As an example, photolithography offers an efficient and convenient method to generate protein micropatterns on any substrate. In this technique, the substrate is first uniformly coated with a photoresist.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Controlling differentiation of stem cells via bioactive disordered cues

Zhang,

Rémy,

Apartsin

et al. 2023

Biomater. Sci.

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“…70 Copper ions have traditionally been used to trigger this differentiation, but by using laser irradiation of copper nanoparticles, it was possible to thermally induce the mesenchymal differentiation and simultaneously weaken the side effects of having free copper ions in the blood. Remote modulation of myotube 71 and neuronal 4,72 cell differentiation was also achieved using plasmonic heating (Figure 6B), and while the mechanism behind the observed biological effects remains poorly understood, it has been shown that several proteins are regulated through thermally altered gene expression, including HSP and other stress sensitive proteins. 50,71 We envisage that plasmonic heating will provide a useful tool in research on stem cell-based therapeutics and tissue engineering by remote heating and wireless stimulation of muscle cells.…”

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confidence: 99%

“…While hydrogels offer a unique manipulation tool for cellular studies, we also emphasize other studies that offer some more flexibility due to the absence of a hydrogel. For example, a micropatterned plasmonic substrate or a mobile optical fiber, functionalized with gold nanorods at the tip, was successfully used to selectively modulate neuronal signals in cell cultures …”

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confidence: 99%

“…While hydrogels offer a unique manipulation tool for cellular studies, we also emphasize other studies that offer some more flexibility due to the absence of a hydrogel. For example, a micropatterned plasmonic substrate 72 Here we have highlighted a few applications for studying cell cultures using thermoplasmonics, but it is not hard to imagine endless opportunities for combining new developments in substrate engineering with thermoplasmonics, which will offer many new applications for investigating and manipulating cell−substrate and cell−cell interactions.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Biological Applications of Thermoplasmonics

Ruhoff,

Arastoo,

Moreno-Pescador

et al. 2024

Nano Lett.

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Thermoplasmonics has emerged as an extraordinarily versatile tool with profound applications across various biological domains ranging from medical science to cell biology and biophysics. The key feature of nanoscale plasmonic heating involves remote activation of heating by applying laser irradiation to plasmonic nanostructures that are designed to optimally convert light into heat. This unique capability paves the way for a diverse array of applications, facilitating the exploration of critical biological processes such as cell differentiation, repair, signaling, and protein functionality, and the advancement of biosensing techniques. Of particular significance is the rapid heat cycling that can be achieved through thermoplasmonics, which has ushered in remarkable technical innovations such as accelerated amplification of DNA through quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Finally, medical applications of photothermal therapy have recently completed clinical trials with remarkable results in prostate cancer, which will inevitably lead to the implementation of photothermal therapy for a number of diseases in the future. Within this review, we offer a survey of the latest advancements in the burgeoning field of thermoplasmonics, with a keen emphasis on its transformative applications within the realm of biosciences.

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A micropatterned thermoplasmonic substrate for neuromodulation of in vitro neuronal networks

Cited by 6 publications

References 62 publications

Long-term in vitro culture of 3D brain tissue model based on chitosan thermogel

Long-term in vitro culture of 3D brain tissue model based on chitosan thermogel

Controlling differentiation of stem cells via bioactive disordered cues

Biological Applications of Thermoplasmonics

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