Adhesion and neurite development of cortical neurons on micropatterns of polyethylenimine and fluorocarbon

This study aims on the preparation of isolated islands of cortical neurons on modified glass surfaces. Isolated islands of cortical neurons were obtained with a combination of neuron-adhesive polyethylenimine (PEI) and neuron-repellent plasma-deposited fluorocarbon (FC). Neurite development and fasciculation of interconnecting neurites between PEI-coated areas was studied. The patterns consisted of PEI-coated wells (diameter 150 mum) which were initially etched in a Fluorocarbon (FC) layer. The separation distance between the PEI-coated wells was varied from 10 up to 90 mum. This paper shows that the chemical patterns, prepared with a combination of polyethylenimine (PEI) and plasma deposited Fluorocarbon (FC), results in highly compliant patterns of adhering cortical neurons. Furthermore, it was shown that the occurrence of connecting neurite fascicles between neurons on PEI-coated wells is inversely proportional to the separation distance between the wells. Interconnecting fascicles were especially present on the pattern with a minimal separation distance (10 mum) between the PEI-coated wells. In contrast, interconnecting neurite fascicles were not observed on patterns with a minimal separation distance of 80 mum between the wells.