| Budget Amount *help |
¥17,420,000 (Direct Cost: ¥13,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥4,020,000)
Fiscal Year 2019: ¥3,380,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥780,000)
Fiscal Year 2018: ¥3,380,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥780,000)
Fiscal Year 2017: ¥4,160,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥960,000)
Fiscal Year 2016: ¥6,500,000 (Direct Cost: ¥5,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,500,000)
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| Outline of Final Research Achievements |
We developed a technique for co-culturing neurons and astrocytes on both sides of a 1-μm-thick silicon nitride (SiN) membrane which has multiple microholes measuring 3 μm in diameter. By fluorescently staining synapses, we found that the number of synapses formed by a single neuron drastically increases within the first 2 weeks and keeps high values for weeks afterward. This experimental result means that intercellular communication through microholes enhances neuronal activity.
Moreover, we developed a novel microelectrode array device for multichannel measurement of extracellular potentials of neurons which are co-cultured with astrocytes. 64 microelectrodes were formed in an 8×8 matrix on a SiN membrane of 1 μm in thickness having multiple microholes of 6 μm in diameter. Then, neurons and astrocytes were back-to-back co-cultured on both surfaces of the membrane. We succeeded in recording electrical signals caused by spontaneous neuronal activity.
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