Microfluidic add-on for standard electrophysiology chambers

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Physiology
• Bioengineering

Background:

• Studying neurochemical signaling in brain slices is crucial for understanding brain function.
• Existing methods for delivering soluble factors to brain slices lack precise spatial and temporal control.
• The development of advanced tools is needed to investigate localized neurochemical dynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a novel microfluidic brain slice device (microBSD) for precise control over neurochemical delivery.
• To demonstrate the device's compatibility with standard electrophysiology and imaging setups.
• To showcase the device's utility in studying the spatiotemporal dynamics of neurotransmitter delivery.

Main Methods:

• Integration of microfluidic channels into a standard brain slice perfusion chamber using rapid prototyping.
• Utilizing dopamine (DA) as a model neurotransmitter for delivery experiments.
• Quantification of DA delivery using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and fluorescence imaging in brain tissue.

Main Results:

• Successful development of the microfluidic brain slice device (microBSD) enabling precise delivery of neurochemicals.
• Demonstrated seamless integration of the microBSD into existing physiological and imaging systems.
• Validated the device's capability to control the flow of soluble factors to specific locations within brain slices with chosen temporal profiles.

Conclusions:

• The microfluidic brain slice device (microBSD) offers a versatile and accessible platform for precise neurochemical delivery in brain slice preparations.
• This technology facilitates advanced investigations into the spatiotemporal dynamics of neurochemical signaling.
• The microBSD is poised to become a valuable tool for the broader neuroscience and slice physiology community.