PhotoMEA: An opto-electronic biosensor for monitoring in vitro neuronal networks activity

PhotoMEA is a biosensor useful for the analysis of an in vitro neuronal network, fully based on optical methods. Its function is based on the stimulation of neurons with caged-glutamate and the recording of neuronal activity by fluorescence Voltage-Sensitive Dyes. The main advantage is that it will be possible to stimulate even at sub-single neuron level and to record with high resolution the activity of the entire network in the culture. A large-scale view of neuronal intercommunications offers a unique opportunity for testing the ability of drugs to affect neuronal properties as well as alterations in the behaviour of the entire network. The concept and a prototype for validation is described here in details.