scholarly journals CHIME: CMOS-hosted in-vivo microelectrodes for massively scalable neuronal recordings

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mihaly Kollo ◽  
Romeo R Racz ◽  
Mina-Elraheb S Hanna ◽  
Abdulmalik M Obaid ◽  
Matthew R Angle ◽  
...  

SummaryMammalian brains consist of 10s of millions to 100s of billions of neurons operating at millisecond time scales, of which current recording techniques only capture a tiny fraction. Recording techniques capable of sampling neural activity at such temporal resolution have been difficult to scale: The most intensively studied mammalian neuronal networks, such as the neocortex, show layered architecture, where the optimal recording technology samples densely over large areas. However, the need for application-specific designs as well as the mismatch between the threedimensional architecture of the brain and largely two-dimensional microfabrication techniques profoundly limits both neurophysiological research and neural prosthetics.Here, we propose a novel strategy for scalable neuronal recording by combining bundles of glass-ensheathed microwires with large-scale amplifier arrays derived from commercial CMOS of in-vitro MEA systems or high-speed infrared cameras. High signal-to-noise ratio (<20 μV RMS noise floor, SNR up to 25) is achieved due to the high conductivity of core metals in glass-ensheathed microwires allowing for ultrathin metal cores (down to <1 μm) and negligible stray capacitance. Multi-step electrochemical modification of the tip enables ultra-low access impedance with minimal geometric area and largely independent of core diameter. We show that microwire size can be reduced to virtually eliminate damage to the blood-brain-barrier upon insertion and demonstrate that microwire arrays can stably record single unit activity.Combining microwire bundles and CMOS arrays allows for a highly scalable neuronal recording approach, linking the progress of electrical neuronal recording to the rapid scaling of silicon microfabrication. The modular design of the system allows for custom arrangement of recording sites. Our approach of employing bundles of minimally invasive, highly insulated and functionalized microwires to lift a 2-dimensional CMOS architecture into the 3rd dimension can be translated to other CMOS arrays such as electrical stimulation devices.

Author(s):  
Xiufeng Li ◽  
Victor T C Tsang ◽  
Lei Kang ◽  
Yan Zhang ◽  
Terence T W Wong

AbstractLaser diodes (LDs) have been considered as cost-effective and compact excitation sources to overcome the requirement of costly and bulky pulsed laser sources that are commonly used in photoacoustic microscopy (PAM). However, the spatial resolution and/or imaging speed of previously reported LD-based PAM systems have not been optimized simultaneously. In this paper, we developed a high-speed and high-resolution LD-based PAM system using a continuous wave LD, operating at a pulsed mode, with a repetition rate of 30 kHz, as an excitation source. A hybrid scanning mechanism that synchronizes a one-dimensional galvanometer mirror and a two-dimensional motorized stage is applied to achieve a fast imaging capability without signal averaging due to the high signal-to-noise ratio. By optimizing the optical system, a high lateral resolution of 4.8 μm has been achieved. In vivo microvasculature imaging of a mouse ear has been demonstrated to show the high performance of our LD-based PAM system.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yipu Wang ◽  
Dong Mei ◽  
Xinyi Zhang ◽  
Da-Hui Qu ◽  
Ju Mei ◽  
...  

With increase of social aging, Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been one of the serious diseases threatening human health. The occurrence of A<i>β </i>fibrils<i> </i>or plaques is recognized as the hallmark of AD.<i> </i>Currently, optical imaging has stood out to be a promising technique for the imaging of A<i>β</i> fibrils/plaques and the diagnosis of AD. However, restricted by their poor blood-brain barrier (BBB) penetrability, short-wavelength excitation and emission, and aggregation-caused quenching (ACQ) effect, the clinically used gold-standard optical probes such as <a>thioflavin</a> T (ThT) and thioflavin S (ThS), are not effective enough in the early diagnosis of AD <i>in vivo</i>. Herein, we put forward an “all-in-one” design principle and demonstrate its feasibility in developing high-performance fluorescent probes which are specific to A<i>β</i> fibrils/plaques and promising for super-early <i>in</i>-<i>vivo</i> diagnosis of AD. As a proof of concept, a simple rod-like amphiphilic NIR fluorescent AIEgen, i.e., AIE-CNPy-AD, is developed by taking the specificity, BBB penetration ability, deep-tissue penetration capacity, high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) into consideration. AIE-CNPy-AD is constituted by connecting the electron-donating and accepting moieties through single bonds and tagging with a propanesulfonate tail, giving rise to the NIR fluorescence, aggregation-induced emission (AIE) effect, amphiphilicity, and rod-like structure, which in turn result in high binding-affinity and excellent specificity to A<i>β</i> fibrils/plaques, satisfactory ability to penetrate BBB and deep tissues, ultrahigh SNR and sensitivity, and high-fidelity imaging capability. <i>In-vitro, ex-vivo,</i> and <i>in-vivo</i> <a>identifying of A<i>β</i> fibrils/plaques</a> in different strains of mice indicate that AIE-CNPy-AD holds the universality to the detection of A<i>β</i> fibrils/plaques. It is noteworthy that AIE-CNPy-AD is even able to trace the small and sparsely distributed A<i>β</i> fibrils/plaques in very young AD model mice such as 4-month-old APP/PS1 mice which are reported to be the youngest mice to have A<i>β</i> deposits in brains, suggesting its great potential in diagnosis and intervention of AD at a super-early stage.


Biosensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 116
Author(s):  
Xiaoke Bi ◽  
Connor Beck ◽  
Yiyang Gong

Genetically encoded fluorescent indicators, combined with optical imaging, enable the detection of physiologically or behaviorally relevant neural activity with high spatiotemporal resolution. Recent developments in protein engineering and screening strategies have improved the dynamic range, kinetics, and spectral properties of genetically encoded fluorescence indicators of brain chemistry. Such indicators have detected neurotransmitter and calcium dynamics with high signal-to-noise ratio at multiple temporal and spatial scales in vitro and in vivo. This review summarizes the current trends in these genetically encoded fluorescent indicators of neurotransmitters and calcium, focusing on their key metrics and in vivo applications.


Author(s):  
Jie Yang ◽  
Carl Hirschie Johnson

Sensitive detection of biological events is a goal for the design and characterization of sensors that can be used in vitro and in vivo. One important second messenger is Ca++ which has been a focus of using genetically encoded Ca++ indicators (GECIs) within living cells or intact organisms in vivo. An ideal GECI would exhibit high signal intensity, excellent signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), rapid kinetics, a large dynamic range within relevant physiological conditions, and red-shifted emission. Most available GECIs are based on fluorescence, but bioluminescent GECIs have potential advantages in terms of avoiding tissue autofluorescence, phototoxicity, photobleaching, and spectral overlap, as well as enhancing SNR. Here, we summarize current progress in the development of bioluminescent GECIs and introduce a new and previously unpublished biosensor. Because these biosensors require a substrate, we also describe the pros and cons of various substrates used with these sensors. The novel GECI that is introduced here is called CalBiT, and it is a Ca++ indicator based on the functional complementation of NanoBiT which shows a high dynamic change in response to Ca++ fluxes. Here, we use CalBiT for the detection of Ca++ fluctuations in cultured cells, including its ability for real-time imaging in living cells.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yipu Wang ◽  
Dong Mei ◽  
Xinyi Zhang ◽  
Da-Hui Qu ◽  
Ju Mei ◽  
...  

With increase of social aging, Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been one of the serious diseases threatening human health. The occurrence of A<i>β </i>fibrils<i> </i>or plaques is recognized as the hallmark of AD.<i> </i>Currently, optical imaging has stood out to be a promising technique for the imaging of A<i>β</i> fibrils/plaques and the diagnosis of AD. However, restricted by their poor blood-brain barrier (BBB) penetrability, short-wavelength excitation and emission, and aggregation-caused quenching (ACQ) effect, the clinically used gold-standard optical probes such as <a>thioflavin</a> T (ThT) and thioflavin S (ThS), are not effective enough in the early diagnosis of AD <i>in vivo</i>. Herein, we put forward an “all-in-one” design principle and demonstrate its feasibility in developing high-performance fluorescent probes which are specific to A<i>β</i> fibrils/plaques and promising for super-early <i>in</i>-<i>vivo</i> diagnosis of AD. As a proof of concept, a simple rod-like amphiphilic NIR fluorescent AIEgen, i.e., AIE-CNPy-AD, is developed by taking the specificity, BBB penetration ability, deep-tissue penetration capacity, high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) into consideration. AIE-CNPy-AD is constituted by connecting the electron-donating and accepting moieties through single bonds and tagging with a propanesulfonate tail, giving rise to the NIR fluorescence, aggregation-induced emission (AIE) effect, amphiphilicity, and rod-like structure, which in turn result in high binding-affinity and excellent specificity to A<i>β</i> fibrils/plaques, satisfactory ability to penetrate BBB and deep tissues, ultrahigh SNR and sensitivity, and high-fidelity imaging capability. <i>In-vitro, ex-vivo,</i> and <i>in-vivo</i> <a>identifying of A<i>β</i> fibrils/plaques</a> in different strains of mice indicate that AIE-CNPy-AD holds the universality to the detection of A<i>β</i> fibrils/plaques. It is noteworthy that AIE-CNPy-AD is even able to trace the small and sparsely distributed A<i>β</i> fibrils/plaques in very young AD model mice such as 4-month-old APP/PS1 mice which are reported to be the youngest mice to have A<i>β</i> deposits in brains, suggesting its great potential in diagnosis and intervention of AD at a super-early stage.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Wijdenes ◽  
K. Haider ◽  
C. Gavrilovici ◽  
B. Gunning ◽  
M. D. Wolff ◽  
...  

AbstractNeural recordings made to date through various approaches—both in-vitro or in-vivo—lack high spatial resolution and a high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) required for detailed understanding of brain function, synaptic plasticity, and dysfunction. These shortcomings in turn deter the ability to further design diagnostic, therapeutic strategies and the fabrication of neuro-modulatory devices with various feedback loop systems. We report here on the simulation and fabrication of fully configurable neural micro-electrodes that can be used for both in vitro and in vivo applications, with three-dimensional semi-insulated structures patterned onto custom, fine-pitch, high density arrays. These microelectrodes were interfaced with isolated brain slices as well as implanted in brains of freely behaving rats to demonstrate their ability to maintain a high SNR. Moreover, the electrodes enabled the detection of epileptiform events and high frequency oscillations in an epilepsy model thus offering a diagnostic potential for neurological disorders such as epilepsy. These microelectrodes provide unique opportunities to study brain activity under normal and various pathological conditions, both in-vivo and in in-vitro, thus furthering the ability to develop drug screening and neuromodulation systems that could accurately record and map the activity of large neural networks over an extended time period.


1969 ◽  
Vol 22 (03) ◽  
pp. 577-583 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.M.P Paulssen ◽  
A.C.M.G.B Wouterlood ◽  
H.L.M.A Scheffers

SummaryFactor VIII can be isolated from plasma proteins, including fibrinogen by chromatography on agarose. The best results were obtained with Sepharose 6B. Large scale preparation is also possible when cryoprecipitate is separated by chromatography. In most fractions containing factor VIII a turbidity is observed which may be due to the presence of chylomicrons.The purified factor VIII was active in vivo as well as in vitro.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shatadru Chakravarty ◽  
Jeremy Hix ◽  
Kaitlyn Wieweora ◽  
Maximilian Volk ◽  
Elizabeth Kenyon ◽  
...  

Here we describe the synthesis, characterization and in vitro and in vivo performance of a series of tantalum oxide (TaOx) based nanoparticles (NPs) for computed tomography (CT). Five distinct versions of 9-12 nm diameter silane coated TaOx nanocrystals (NCs) were fabricated by a sol-gel method with varying degrees of hydrophilicity and with or without fluorescence, with the highest reported Ta content to date (78%). Highly hydrophilic NCs were left bare and were evaluated in vivo in mice for micro-CT of full body vasculature, where following intravenous injection, TaOx NCs demonstrate high CT contrast, circulation in blood for ~ 3 h, and eventual accumulation in RES organs; and following injection locally in the mammary gland, where the full ductal tree structure can be clearly delineated. Partially hydrophilic NCs were encapsulated within mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNPs; TaOx@MSNPs) and hydrophobic NCs were encapsulated within poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA; TaOx@PLGA) NPs, serving as potential CT-imagable drug delivery vehicles. Bolus intramuscular injections of TaOx@PLGA NPs and TaOx@MSNPs to mimic the accumulation of NPs at a tumor site produce high signal enhancement in mice. In vitro studies on bare NCs and formuated NPs demonstrate high cytocompatibility and low dissolution of TaOx. This work solidifies that TaOx-based NPs are versatile contrast agents for CT.


2020 ◽  
Vol 26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luíza Dantas-Pereira ◽  
Edézio F. Cunha-Junior ◽  
Valter V. Andrade-Neto ◽  
John F. Bower ◽  
Guilherme A. M. Jardim ◽  
...  

: Chagas disease, Sleeping sickness and Leishmaniasis, caused by trypanosomatids Trypanosoma cruzi, Trypanosoma brucei and Leishmania spp., respectively, are considered neglected tropical diseases, and they especially affect impoverished populations in the developing world. The available chemotherapies are very limited and a search for alternatives is still necessary. In folk medicine, natural naphthoquinones have been employed for the treatment of a great variety of illnesses, including parasitic infections. This review is focused on the anti-trypanosomatid activity and mechanistic analysis of naphthoquinones and derivatives. Among all the series of derivatives tested in vitro, naphthoquinone-derived 1,2,3-triazoles were very active on T. cruzi infective forms in blood bank conditions, as well as in amastigotes of Leishmania spp. naphthoquinones containing a CF3 on a phenyl amine ring inhibited T. brucei proliferation in the nanomolar range, and naphthopterocarpanquinones stood out for their activity on a range of Leishmania species. Some of these compounds showed a promising selectivity index (SI) (30 to 1900), supporting further analysis in animal models. Indeed, high toxicity to the host and inactivation by blood components are crucial obstacles to be overcome to use naphthoquinones and/or their derivatives for chemotherapy. Multidisciplinary initiatives embracing medicinal chemistry, bioinformatics, biochemistry, and molecular and cellular biology need to be encouraged to allow the optimization of these compounds. Large scale automated tests are pivotal for the efficiency of the screening step, and subsequent evaluation of both the mechanism of action in vitro and pharmacokinetics in vivo are essential for the development of a novel, specific and safe derivative, minimizing adverse effects.


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