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Controlling neuronal growth and connectivity via directed self-assembly of proteins

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Abstract

Materials that offer the ability to influence tissue regeneration are of vital importance to the field of Tissue Engineering. Because valid 3-dimensional scaffolds for nerve tissue are still in development, advances with 2-dimensional surfaces in vitro are necessary to provide a complete understanding of controlling regeneration. Here we present a method for controlling nerve cell growth on Au electrodes using Atomic Force Microscopy -aided protein assembly. After coating a gold surface in a self-assembling monolayer of alkanethiols, the Atomic Force Microscope tip can be used to remove regions of the self-assembling monolayer in order to produce well-defined patterns. If this process is then followed by submersion of the sample into a solution containing neuro-compatible proteins, they will self assemble on these exposed regions of gold, creating well-specified regions for promoted neuron growth.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics and Astronomy and Center for Nanoscopic Physics, Tufts University, 4 Colby Street, 02155, Medford, MA, U.S.A.

    Daniel Rizzo, Ross Beighley, D. White James & Cristian Staii

Authors
  1. Daniel Rizzo
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  2. Ross Beighley
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  3. D. White James
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  4. Cristian Staii
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Rizzo, D., Beighley, R., James, D.W. et al. Controlling neuronal growth and connectivity via directed self-assembly of proteins. MRS Online Proceedings Library 1498, 207–212 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1557/opl.2013.338

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/opl.2013.338

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