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Organic electronics for precise delivery of neurotransmitters to modulate mammalian sensory function

2009; Nature Portfolio; Volume: 8; Issue: 9 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1038/nmat2494

1476-4660

Daniel T. Simon, Sindhulakshmi Kurup, Karin Larsson, Ryusuke Hori, Klas Tybrandt, Michel Goiny, Edwin W. H. Jager, Magnus Berggren, Barbara Canlon, Agneta Richter‐Dahlfors,

Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials

An organic electronic device capable of precisely delivering neurotransmitters in vitro and in vivo is demonstrated. The device mimics the nerve synapse by converting electronic addressing in the delivery of neurotransmitters, thereby enabling exact dosage determination through electrochemical relationships. The system also ensures minimally disruptive delivery by avoiding fluid flow, and provides simple on–off switching. Significant advances have been made in the understanding of the pathophysiology, molecular targets and therapies for the treatment of a variety of nervous-system disorders. Particular therapies involve electrical sensing and stimulation of neural activity1,2,3,4, and significant effort has therefore been devoted to the refinement of neural electrodes5,6,7,8. However, direct electrical interfacing suffers from some inherent problems, such as the inability to discriminate amongst cell types. Thus, there is a need for novel devices to specifically interface nerve cells. Here, we demonstrate an organic electronic device capable of precisely delivering neurotransmitters in vitro and in vivo. In converting electronic addressing into delivery of neurotransmitters, the device mimics the nerve synapse. Using the peripheral auditory system, we show that out of a diverse population of cells, the device can selectively stimulate nerve cells responding to a specific neurotransmitter. This is achieved by precise electronic control of electrophoretic migration through a polymer film. This mechanism provides several sought-after features for regulation of cell signalling: exact dosage determination through electrochemical relationships, minimally disruptive delivery due to lack of fluid flow, and on–off switching. This technology has great potential as a therapeutic platform and could help accelerate the development of therapeutic strategies for nervous-system disorders.