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Microelectrode Arrays: A Physiologically-based Neurotoxicity Testing Platform for the 21st Century
Citation:
JOHNSTONE, A. F., G. W. Gross, D. G. Weiss, O. Schroeder, A. Gramowski, AND T. J. SHAFER. Microelectrode Arrays: A Physiologically-based Neurotoxicity Testing Platform for the 21st Century. NEUROTOXICOLOGY. Intox Press, Inc, Little Rock, AR, 31(4):331-350, (2010).
Impact/Purpose:
The paper points out multiple uses for MEAs in neurotoxicity testing.
Description:
Microelectrode Arrays (MEAs) have been in use over the past decade and a half to study multiple aspects ofelectrically excitable cells. Inparticular, MEAs have been applied to explore the pharmacological and toxicological effects ofnumerous compounds on spontaneous activity ofneuronal and cardiac cell networks. The MEA system enables simultaneous extracellular recordings from multiple sites in the network in real time, increasing spatial resolution and thereby providing a robust measure ofnetwork activity. The simultaneous gathering ofaction potential and field potential data over long periods oftime allows the monitoring ofnetwork functions that arise from the interaction ofall cellular mechanisms responsible for spatiotemporal pattern generation. In these functional, dynamic systems, physical, chemical, and pharmacological perturbations are holistically reflected by the tissue responses. Such features makeMEAtechnologywellsuited forthescreening ofcompoundsofinterest,andalsoallow scaling to high throughput systems by recording from multiple, separate cell networks simultaneously. This article is designed to be useful to newcomers to this technology as well as those who are currently using MEAs in their research. It explains how MEA systems operate, summarizes what systems are available, and provides a discussion ofemerging mathematical schemes that can be used for a rapid classification ofdrug or chemical effects. Current efforts that will expand this technology to an influential, high throughput, electrophysiological approach for reliable determinations ofcompound toxicity are also described and a comprehensive review oftoxicological publications using MEAs is provided as an appendix to this publication. Overall, this article highlights the benefits and promise of MEA technology as a high throughput, rapid screening method for toxicity testing.
