Modeling neural circuit, blood-brain barrier, and myelination on a microfluidic 96 well plate

Abstract

Microfluidics have enabled a wide range of experimental possibilities in the field of neuroscience. Unfortunately, the wider scale adoption of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) based microfluidic devices faces challenges due to inherent material compatibility issues and lack of standardized manufacturable devices. In this work, we present an injection molded plastic array three-dimensional (3D) neuron culture platform (Neuro-IMPACT) made of polystyrene (PS) with a standard 96-well plate form factor that can recapitulate elements of both the central and peripheral nervous systems. A standardized in vitro platform for neuron culture will facilitate the development of new therapies for neurodegenerative diseases, as they would enable quantitative analysis based on imaging as well as biochemical analysis. To demonstrate the versatility of Neuro-IMPACT, we modeled physiologically relevant complex co-culture models such as a 3D neuronal network, blood-brain barrier, and myelination. The Neuro-IMPACT offers a high-throughput screening compatible platform with the ability to engineer the neuronal microenvironment to aid both basic and applied neuroscience research.