Submitted on April 21, 2006
Accepted on November 9, 2006
ES-derived neurons form functional networks in vitro
Jelena Ban 1,
Paolo Bonifazi 1,
Giulietta Pinato 1,
Frederic Broccard 1,
Lorenz Studer 2,
Vincent Torre 1,
Maria Elisabetta Ruaro 1*
1 INFM and International School for Advanced Studies, Trieste, Italy
2 Laboratory of Stem Cell and Tumor Biology, Division of Neurosurgery and Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, New York, New York
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: eruaro{at}sissa.it.
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Abstract |
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Embryonic stem (ES) cells provide a flexible and unlimited source for a variety of neuronal types. As mature neurons establish neuronal networks very easily, we tested whether ES-derived neurons are capable of generating functional networks and whether these networks, generated in vitro, are capable of processing information. Single cell electrophysiology with pharmacological antagonists demonstrated the presence of both excitatory and inhibitory synaptic connections. Extracellular recording with planar multielectrode arrays (MEAs) showed that spontaneous bursts of electrical activity are present in ES-derived networks with properties remarkably similar to those of hippocampal neurons. When stimulated with extracellular electrodes, ES-derived neurons fired action potentials (APs) and the evoked electrical activity spread throughout the culture. A statistical analysis indicated that ES-derived networks discriminated between stimuli of different intensity at a single trial level, a key feature for an efficient information processing. Thus, ES-derived neurons provide a novel in vitro strategy to create functional networks with defined computational properties.
