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Microfluidic control of axonal guidance.
Ling Gu1, Bryan Black1, Simon Ordonez2
11] Biophysics and Physiology Lab, Department of Physics, University of Texas at Arlington, TX 76019 [2].
Scientific Reports
|October 7, 2014
Summary
Fluid flow directly influences axonal pathfinding during development, guiding neuronal migration with significant turning angles. This discovery offers new methods for creating neural circuits in vitro.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Biology
- Biophysics
Background:
- Axonal pathfinding is critical for neural circuit formation during development and regeneration.
- Chemical cues are traditionally considered the primary drivers of axonal guidance.
- The role of physical forces, like fluid flow, in neuronal guidance remains underexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the direct influence of localized fluid flow on axonal migration.
- To test the hypothesis that fluid flow forces can guide neuronal pathfinding.
- To explore the potential of fluid flow for in vitro neural circuit assembly.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing microfluidic devices to generate controlled localized fluid flow.
- Observing and quantifying axonal turning angles in response to fluid flow.
- Performing microfluidic flow simulations to analyze forces acting on axons.
Main Results:
- Direct evidence of fluid flow influencing axonal migration, with observed turning angles up to 90 degrees.
- Microfluidic simulations revealed significant bending forces on axons due to cross-flow.
- Successfully demonstrated fasciculation of two axons using flow-based guidance.
Conclusions:
- Localized fluid flow is a significant physical cue that directly impacts axonal pathfinding.
- Fluid flow forces can actively guide neuronal migration and circuit formation.
- This technique holds promise for engineering functional neural circuits in vitro.
