Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 18, 2026

Assembly and Characterization of Biomolecular Memristors Consisting of Ion Channel-doped Lipid Membranes
Published on: March 9, 2019
Biologically Switchable Volatility and Nonvolatility Toward Real Neurotransmitter Mediated Aqueous Reservoir
Zheng Li1, Qing-Qing Wu1, Yazhou Wang2
1State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China.
This study introduces a novel aqueous reservoir computing system using the neurotransmitter glutamate. This bio-inspired approach mimics brain function for potential in-body applications and advanced neuromorphic engineering.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Materials Science
- Computer Science
Background:
- Aqueous reservoir computing (RC) is an emerging field with significant challenges.
- Real biological receptors offer synaptic resemblance, promising closer emulation of the human brain in neuromorphic engineering.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore biologically switchable volatility and nonvolatility in neurotransmitter-mediated aqueous RC.
- To develop and demonstrate a glutamate-mediated RC for image recognition.
Main Methods:
- Utilized glutamate oxidase catalytic chemistry and a porphyrin-based metal-organic framework/tungsten oxide (PCN-224/WO3) photogate.
- Employed an organic photoelectrochemical transistor for the RC application.
- Tested the system for image recognition tasks.
Main Results:
- Successfully demonstrated biologically switchable volatility and nonvolatility using glutamate.
- Developed a proof-of-concept glutamate-mediated RC system.
- Achieved image recognition capabilities with the developed system.
Conclusions:
- The findings advance real neurotransmitter-mediated aqueous RC toward in-biology applications.
- This work promotes bioinspired algorithm-hardware codesign in future neuromorphic engineering.
Related Concept Videos
Chemical Synapses
Because chemical synapses depend on the release of neurotransmitter molecules from synaptic vesicles to pass on their signal, there is an approximately one millisecond delay between when the axon potential reaches the presynaptic terminal and when the neurotransmitter leads to opening of postsynaptic ion channels. Additionally, this signaling is...
Chemical Synapses
Because chemical synapses depend on the release of neurotransmitter molecules from synaptic vesicles to pass on their signal, there is an approximately one millisecond delay between when the axon potential reaches the presynaptic terminal and when the neurotransmitter leads to opening of postsynaptic ion channels. Additionally, this signaling is...
Neurochemical Transmission: Sites of Drug Action
Antiepileptic Drugs: Modulators of Neurotransmitter Release Mediated by SV2A Protein
SV2A is a transmembrane glycoprotein located predominantly in the brain, modulating the release of neurotransmitters for neuronal communication. Both levetiracetam and brivaracetam exhibit a high affinity for...
Excitatory and Inhibitory Effects of Neurotransmitters
The Role of Ion Channels in Neuronal Computation
Sometimes a single EPSP is strong enough to induce an action potential in the postsynaptic neuron. However, multiple presynaptic inputs must often create EPSPs around the same time for the postsynaptic neuron to be sufficiently depolarized to fire an action potential....

