DOI: https://doi.org/10.29363/nanoge.neumatdecas.2023.070
Publication date: 9th January 2023
The interface between biological cells and non-biological materials has profound influences on cellular activities, chronic tissue responses, and ultimately the success of medical implants and bioelectronic devices. The optimal coupling between cells and materials is mainly based on surface interaction, electrical communication and sensing.
In the last years, many efforts have been devoted to engineer materials to recapitulate both the environment (i.e., dimensionality, curvature, dynamicity) and the functionalities (i.e., long and short term synaptic plasticity) of the neuronal tissue to ensure a better integration of the bioelectronic platform and cells. In this scenario, resembling also the composition of the neuronal membrane might be beneficial to reconstitute fluidity and proteins’ arrangement (i.e. synaptic receptors) to further optimize the communication between neuronal cells and in vitro bioelectronic platforms2.
Here, we explore how organic electrochemical transistors (OECT) can be used to emulate the operation of neuronal cells as neuromorphic devices and potentially be interfaced with biological cells.
Through the neurotransmitters’ oxidation (i.e., catecholamines) first, we were capable of modulating the synaptic potentiation and ultimately the coupling with biological cells to form a functional synapse. Transitioning from a single to a multiple neurotransmitters modulation, the biohybrid synapses have been also proven to create specific learning patterning and ultimately might be embedded in a feedback-loop control system for adaptive actuation.
In turn, this could represent a first step toward in vitro adaptive neurohybrid interfaces to engineering neuronal networks with biomimetic structural and functional connections at synaptic level.