Biocompatible Microelectrode Arrays

We have developed a microelectrode array for stimulation of Rat Hippocampus slices, and detection of the electrical response from the cells. The microelectrode array is designed for studies of the Long Term Potentiation effect (LTP), which is possibly related to memory. For the LTP studies, it is necessary to keep the Hippocampus slice alive on the array for a very long time, during which localized, reproducible stimulus and signal pick-up must be performed at regular intervals. Hence, biocompatibility is a very important issue.
The present array have 200 electrodes for stimulation and detection and is very biocompatible, as the cells can live there for months. Preliminary results were presented at the Micro-Bio Seminar at DTU in 1996. The results were presented at the 27th Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, New Orleans oct. 1997.