Cultured Neural Nets references

[David C. Tam]

   Here are some references of Dr. Guenter W. Gross at University of North
Texas, Denton TX 76203 on cultured neural nets grown on MultiMicroElectrode
Plates (MMEPs). He is among one of the first investigators successfully grown
neurons forming networks with spontaneous electrical activities recorded from
64-electrodes simultaneously for over a long period of time (i.e., months)
with the pattern of firing monitored by these microelectrodes under
physiological conditions. His current electrode design is a
second-generation.

   The first-generation uses metal (opague) electrode conductor photo-etched
on a glass-plate substrate.  The second-generation design uses transparent
indium-tin oxide electrode conductor so that the complete neural network can
be visualized under the microscope without being blocked by the
electrode-leads.

   His results on the network activity of neurons include: cooperative
sychronous burst (phase-lock) firing of neurons; switching of firing patterns
in groups of neurons; micro-laser surgery that selectively "zap" axons and/or
dendrites connectivities of neurons in the network, etc.  These are
successful experimental results of monitoring up to 64 channels of electrodes
in cultured neurons.

   Per request of Steve Potter, here is a list of his publications:

Gross, G. W. (1979).  Simultaneous single unit recording in vitro with a
   photoetched, laser deinsulated gold, multimicroelectrode surface.  IEEE
   Trans. Biomed. Eng. BME.  26: 273-279.

Gross, G. W., & Hightower, M. H. (1986).  An approach to the determination of
   network properties in mammalian neuronal monolayer cultures.  Proc. of the
   1st IEEE Conf. on Synth. Microstructs. in Biol. Res., Naval Research Lab.
   Press, Washington D.C., pp. 3-21.

Gross, G. W. & Kowalski, J. M (1990).  Experimental and theoretical analysis
   of random nerve cell network dynamics.  In Neural Networks: Concepts,
   Applications, and Implementations  Vol. 3.  Prentice-Hall: New Jersey.
   (in press)

Gross, G. W., & Lucas, J. H. (1982).  Long-term monitoring of spontaneous
   single unit activity from neuronal monolayer networks cultured on
   photoetched multielectrode surfaces.  J. Electrophys. Tech.  9: 55-69.

Gross, G. W., Wen, W., & Lin, J. (1985)  Transparent indium-tin oxide
   patterns for extracellular multisite recording in neuronal cultures.  J.
   Neurosci. Methods.  15: 243-252.

Droge, D. H., Gross, G. W., Hightower, M. H., & Czisny, L. E. (1986)
   Multielectrode analysis of coordinated, multisite, rhythmic bursting in
   cultured CNS monolayer networks.  J. Neurosci.  6: 1583-1592.

Lucas, J. H., Czisny, L. E., & Gross, G. W. (1986).  Adhesion of cultured
   mammalian CNS neurons to flame-modified hydrophobic surfaces.  In Vitro
   Cell & Dev. Biol.  22: 37-43.

David Tam
dtam at next-cns.neusc.bcm.tmc.edu