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MPI für Biochemie  

Emeritus Group Membrane and Neurophysics
Peter Fromherz

 

Neuroelectronic Interfacing: Semiconductor Chips with Ion Channels, Nerve Cells, and Brain

Peter Fromherz
in: Nanoelectronics and Information Technology, 781-810, Editor R. Waser, Wiley-VCH Verlag: Berlin, 2003

Full text [PDF, 4166 kByte]

Abstract

The electrical interfacing of individual nerve cells and semiconductor microstructures is considered, as well as the assembly of neuronal networks and microelectronic circuits. In a first section, the planar core-coat conductor of a neuron-silicon junction is studied as it determines the electrical coupling of ion conducting neurons and electron conducting silicon. The width of the cleft between cell and chip, the resistance of that cleft and the presence of voltage-gate ion channels in the junction are investigated. On that basis, a second section describes the electronic interfacing of individual cultured neurons with silicon microstructures as well as the integration of microelectronics with small neuronal networks grown in culture. In a final part, the electronic interfacing of cultured brain slices is addressed. The goal of the approach is an integration of neuronal network dynamics and digital computation on a microscopic level for studies in brain research, biosensorics, information technology and medical prosthetics.

Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Iono-Electronic Interfacing
    3. 2.1 Planar Core-Coat Conductor
    2.2 Cleft of Cell-Silicon Junction
    2.3 Conductance of the Cleft
    2.4 Ion Channels in Cell-Silicon Junction
  3. Neuron-Silicon Circuits
    4. 3.1 Transistor Recording of Neuronal Activity
    3.2 Capacitive Stimulation of Neuronal Activity
    3.3 Circuits with Two Neurons on Silicon Chip
    3.4 Towards defined Neuronal Nets
  4. Brain-Silicon Chips
    5. 4.1 Tissue-Sheet Conductor
    4.2 Transistor Recording of Brain Slice
    4.3 Capacitive Stimulation of Brain Slice
  5. Outlook
  6. References