Manipulating location, polarity, and outgrowth length of neuron-like pheochromocytoma (PC-12) cells on patterned organic electrode arrays.

In this manuscript, we describe a biocompatible organic electrode system, comprising poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) microelectrode arrays on indium tin oxide (ITO) glass, that can be used to regulate the neuron type, location, polarity, and outgrown length of neuron-like cells (PC-12). We fabricated a PEDOT microelectrode array with four different sizes (flat; 20, 50, and 100 μm) through electrochemical polymerization. Extracellular matrix proteins absorbed well on these organic electrodes; cells absorbed selectively on the organic electrodes when we used polyethylene oxide/polypropylene oxide/polyethylene oxide triblock copolymers (PEO/PPO/PEO, Pluronic™ F108) as the anti-adhesive coating. In this system, the neurite polarities and neuron types could be manipulated by varying the width of the PEDOT microelectrode arrays. On the unpatterned PEDOT electrode, PC-12 cells were randomly polarized, with approximately 80% having multi-polar cell types. In contrast, when we cultured PC-12 cells on the 20 μm wide PEDOT line array, the neurites aligned along the direction of the organic electrodes, with the percentage of uni- and bipolar PC-12 cells increasing to greater than 90%. The outgrowth of neurites on the microelectrodes was promoted by ~60% with an applied electrical stimulation. Therefore, these electroactive PEDOT microelectrode arrays have potential for use in tissue engineering related to the development and regeneration of mammalian nervous systems. This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2011