Neural guidance by open-top SU-8 microfluidic channel

Manipulating neuron outgrowth and regeneration is important and attractive in the research fields of biomedical, neurological and tissue engineering. In this paper, we propose a new scheme, i.e. open-top SU-8 microfluidic channel, to generate micropatterns of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins to guide and control the neuron outgrowth in preferred directions and at designed positions by confinement in a microfluidic system. The open-top SU-8 microfluidic channel, which requires only a small volume (∼0.5μl) of laminin solution to fill the two tanks and microchannel, is 20μm thick and 10μm wide. The culturing of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) was performed using injured goldfish. The experimental results verify that the open-top SU-8 microfluidic channel is not only workable but also effective for neural guidance.