Patterned diphenylalanine nanotubes regulate the behavior of hippocampal neurons

Abstract

<p>The establishment of functional neural networks has been extensively studied in vitro. Various patterned substrates based on micro-nano processing and fabrication technology are used to control the connection mode of neurons. In this study, unidirectional arranged and radial arranged diphenylalanine (FF) nanotubes are made for the cultivation of hippocampal neurons. The two different FF nanotubes patterned substrates produced in this article induced two different behaviors of hippocampal neurons. Directional arranged FF nanotubes can induce the directional arrangement of neurons. The directionality of neurons can be maintained even after FF is dissolved. On the other hand, neurons quickly migrated into clusters under the induction of radial FF nanotubes and further form a complex patterned connection network. The method proposed in this paper can be used to study various behaviors of neurons, and further can be used to study the different patterned structures to construct different neural network types.</p>