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Updated: Feb 2, 2026

An Optogenetic Approach for Assessing Formation of Neuronal Connections in a Co-culture System
Published on: February 17, 2015
Assembly and Connection of Micropatterned Single Neurons for Neuronal Network Formation
Shotaro Yoshida1, Midori Kato-Negishi2, Shoji Takeuchi3,4
1Center for International Research on Integrative Biomedical Systems, Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Meguro-ku, Komaba, Tokyo 153-8505, Japan. syoshida@iis.u-tokyo.ac.jp.
Abstract:
Engineering of neuronal network geometry by micropatterning technology is a key future technology for creating artificial brains on a chip. However, engineering of network geometry at the single-cell-level with functional morphology (axon/dendrite) and connectivity (synapses) is still challenging. Here, we describe a method for controlling the axon and dendrite morphology of single primary-cultured neurons and assembling a neural circuit using mobile microplates. The microplates enabled morphological control of neurons by their shapes and bringing their ends into contact caused the formation of physical connections. Functional synapse formation at the connection was indicated by immunostaining of synapse-related proteins and intracellular Ca2+ imaging of neural activity. We believe that the method will be useful in engineering neural circuits with selected neurons and defined morphology.
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