Positive Neuroblastoma differentiation with AC electrical-stimulation

Electrical Stimulation (ES) is an excellent technique to promote the differentiation and proliferation of precursor cells towards new linages. We studied the effects of alternated current (AC) electrical stimulation on mouse neuroblastoma cell line N2A differentiation towards neuronal tissue. We developed an ES system with electronics, culture-ware with electrodes and encapsulation, designing a setup and protocols for stimulation. The applied ES were biphasic voltage pulses, with programmable amplitudes and frequencies. After ES, N2A cells were analyzed using microscope images. Differentiated and non-differentiated cells were counted. Results show that ES facilitates the differentiation of N2A cells in N2A. The best values for the applied electric field (pulse biphasic signals) in terms of amplitude and frequency, are around 250-500 mV/mm and 100 Hz, these conditions are proposed as the most suitable for future ES of N2A.