The culture of neurons on silicon

• Published in: Sensors and actuators. A, Physical Physical, 1999-04, Vol.74 (1), p.139-142
• Main Authors: Bayliss, S.C, Buckberry, L.D, Fletcher, I, Tobin, M.J
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Biocompatibility; Biological and medical sciences; Cell cycle, cell proliferation; Cell physiology; Chemical vapor deposition (including plasma-enhanced cvd, mocvd, etc.); Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Disordered solids; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Growth and division; Implants (surgical); Materials science; Methods of deposition of films and coatings; film growth and epitaxy; Microelectronic fabrication (materials and surfaces technology); Microelectronics: LSI, VLSI, ULSI; integrated circuit fabrication technology; Molecular and cellular biology; Nanostructured materials; Nanostructures; Neuron; Physics; Polycrystalline materials; Porous silicon; Powders, porous materials; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; Silicon; Silicon wafers; Structure of solids and liquids; crystallography; Surfaces; Tissue
• ISSN: 0924-4247; 1873-3069
• DOI: 10.1016/S0924-4247(98)00346-X

We have investigated the adherence and subsequent viability of rat neuronal (B50) cells cultured directly on the nanostructured semiconductors porous silicon (PS), PECVD polycrystalline silicon and bulk silicon wafers. In contrast to our previous work on culturing CHO cells on nanostructured silicon, where the cell count was greatest on nanocrystalline PECVD Si (nc-Si) substrates, with B50 cells the optimum surface was PS, with much reduced cell viability observed for cells cultured on bulk or nc-Si. These preliminary studies indicate that PS and nc-Si offer advantages over bulk Si surfaces for neuron cell adherence and viability since they do not require coating with substances such as polylysine to support cell growth, PS is light-addressable, and nanostructured coatings can be applied to most object shapes, allowing flexibility in their deployment.