Nanowire arrays meet neurons

Arrays of nanometer-scale devices have been integrated with individual axons and dendrites of mammalian neurons and used to measure and control neuronal activity (Science 2006, 313, 1100). Using fabrication methods they developed previously, Harvard University chemists Fernando Patolsky, Brian P. Timko, Charles M. Lieber, and coworkers constructed arrays of silicon nanowire field-effect transistors and interfaced the devices with axons (shown) and dendrites of cultured rat neurons. Featuring active junction areas of just 0.01 ??m², these artificial synapses were used to detect, stimulate, and inhibit electrophysiological signals that propagate along axons and dendrites, carrying information in the brain. The team notes that the study may lead to new methods for investigating synaptic processing in neural networks with spatial and temporal resolution unmatched by other techniques. In addition, the work could be used to develop real-time cellular assays for drug discovery.