More than cell markers: understanding heterogeneous glial responses to implantable neural devices

Abstract: Recent publicity surrounding a coin-size computer chip in a pig's brain has placed the spotlight on the field of neurointerfaces (Lewis, 2020). Implantable microelectrode arrays (MEAs), or neural probes, enable the study of brain activity and present promising treatment and therapeutic options for neurological conditions (Boehler et al., 2020). These range from motor and sensory impairments such as spinal cord injuries and hearing loss, to neuropsychiatric disorders including dementia, clinical depression and insomnia. Application-specific MEAs that, for example, record field potentials and neuronal activity have been validated in non-human primates and could help understand mechanisms underlying motor functions and epilepsy (Barz et al., 2017; Gerbella et al., 2021). Key design considerations for biocompatibility, efficacy and longevity of microelectrodes to maintain long-term neuronal recording and stimulation are highly dependent on brain tissue response (Polikov et al., 2005). The functional capacities of a biosensor depend on the number of surrounding neurons in a given radius (50–350 μm) (He et al., 2020). Probe insertions generate inflammatory responses to acute tissue injuries and the introduction of foreign bodies, known as “foreign body response” (FBR). Chronic neuroprosthetic implants in rats at 16 weeks in contrast to 8 weeks have been shown to increase neuronal and dendritic loss, correlate with tau hyperphosphorylation seen in Alzheimer's disease and other tauopathies, and impede regeneration and recording of activity surrounding the device (McConnell et al., 2009). Assessments of acute proinflammatory events and chronic progression have largely centered on histological analyses of non-neuronal central nervous system (CNS) cells such as microglia, astrocytes and oligodendroglia, including their contribution to neuroinflammation and glial scars (Kozai et al., 2015; Prodanov and Delbeke, 2016). However, immunohistochemistry provides qualitative answers and rarely discriminates between heterogeneous cellular states (Wellman et al., 2019). Here we highlight developments that expand our knowledge of context-dependent heterogeneity of glia and blood-brain barrier cells, proposing new approaches to examine the diverse contributions of non-neuronal CNS cells after probe implantation. Having a holistic understanding of multiple glial responses will advance neuroengineering that temper neuroinflammation and tissue scarring, thereby improving functional neuroprosthetic integration

Object Details

• Location: Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Frankfurt am Main
• Extent: Online-Ressource
• Language: Englisch
• Notes: Frontiers in cellular neuroscience. - 15 (2021) , 658992, ISSN: 1662-5102

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (where): Freiburg
• (who): Universität
• (when): 2021
• Creator: Bouadi, Ouzéna ; Tuan, Leng-Tay

Further information

• DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.658992
• URN: urn:nbn:de:bsz:25-freidok-2203048
• Rights: Kein Open Access; Der Zugriff auf das Objekt ist unbeschränkt möglich.
• Last update: 25.03.2025, 1:44 PM CET