IUVSTA 15th International Vacuum Congress (IVC-15), AVS 48th International Symposium (AVS-48), 11th International Conference on Solid Surfaces (ICSS-11)
    Biomaterials Thursday Sessions
       Session BI-ThA

Paper BI-ThA4
The Affects of Geometric Constraints on Neuronal Process Extension

Thursday, November 1, 2001, 3:00 pm, Room 102

Session: Cell-Surface Interaction
Presenter: A.M.P. Turner, Cornell University
Authors: A.M.P. Turner, Cornell University
S.W.P. Turner, Cornell University
R. Terao, Cornell University
H.G. Craighead, Cornell University
N. Dowell, NYS DOH Wadsworth Center
W. Shain, NYS DOH Wadsworth Center
G. Withers, Oregon Health Sciences University
G. Banker, Oregon Health Sciences University
Correspondent: Click to Email
Our research has involved the study of how central nervous system (CNS) cells attach to and grow on surfaces topographically modified with micrometer-sized features. In particular, we have studied the growth of rat hippocampal neurons on surfaces patterned with pillars. Patterned silicon substrates were made using conventional semiconductor methods and polymer embossing techniques were used to make transparent substrates. It was observed that the geometric constraints to which a neuron is exposed have a significant impact on various aspects of neuronal process development, including the rate of neurite (dendritic and axonal) outgrowth, neurite morphology, dendritic branching, and specific protein production, transport and organization. Fluorescence, scanning electron, and phase-contrast time-lapse microscopies were used to analyze and quantify the growth of neurons on surfaces with 1 to 2 µm tall pillars of various widths, 500 nm to 2 µm, and inter-pillar spacings, 1.0 µm to 5 µm. We observed a 50 percent increase in the rate of neurite outgrowth on surfaces with pillars versus smooth surfaces. It was also observed that in arrays with spacings less than 2 µm, the majority of neurites grow along 90 and 45 degree paths from the soma whereas with spacings of 4 µm and greater, neurites revert back to morphologies observed on smooth surfaces. Dendritic branching was found to increase with a decrease in inter-pillar spacing and immunochemical staining demonstrated various correlations between protein organization and pillar locations. The goal of these studies is to learn more about the fundamental interactions between CNS cells and surface structure.