Citation:

Choo, S., J. Keever, J. Brown, J. Strickland, AND T. Shafer. Assaying Spontaneous Network Activity and Cellular Viability using Multi-well Microelectrode Arrays (Cell Viability Assays Book Chapter). Edition 2nd Edition, Chapter 9, Oliver Friedrich and Daniel F. Gilbert (ed.), Cell Viability Assays: Methods and Protocols (Methods in Molecular Biology, Vol 2644). Humana Press Incorporated, Totowa, NJ, , 133-154, (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-3052-5_9

Impact/Purpose:

This methods chapter provides detailed instructions for measuring cytotoxicity associated with chemical exposure to neurons grown on microelectrode arrays. These methods are multiplexed in that it allows both neuronal activity and viability/cytotoxicity to be measured in the same preparation. This saves both material and time costs. Neurons grown on MEAs are the basis for NAMs for both acute and developmental neurotoxicity hazard identification. Having cell viability information as part of these NAMs is critical to interpretation of the results.

Description:

Microelectrode array (MEA) technology is a neurophysiological method that allows for the measurement of spontaneous or evoked neural activity to determine chemical effects thereon. Following assessment of compound effects on multiple endpoints that evaluate network function, a cell viability endpoint in the same well is determined using a multiplexed approach. Recently, it has become possible to measure electrical impedance of cells attached to the electrodes, where greater impedance indicates greater number of cells attached. This would allow rapid and repeated assessments of cell health as the neural network develops in longer exposure assays without the need for additional secondary assays (e.g. lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) or cell titer blue). Procedures describing the multiplexed methods in acute and network formation screening are included in this chapter.

URLs/Downloads:

Record Details: