Enhanced formation of axonal collateral Bbranching of hippocampal neurons on h-PDMS nanopillar array

Abstract

Axonal branches, one of the features of neuronal development, extending from one axon make it possible for individual neurons to establish synapses with multiple targets. This complex structural connection in a nervous system allows one neuron to transmit a wide range of signals to multiple neurons, which is essential for performing various functions of the nervous system such as learning, memory, sensation, and response. The Microtubules and the actin filament induced the formation of the axonal branches. In this work, we used an h-PDMS nanopillar array which was fabricated from AAO mold as a culture platform. We found that the h-PDMS nanopillar array not only promoted the growth of the axon, but also significantly increased the number of axonal branches of primary hippocampal neurons. Also, we found that h-PDMS nanopillar array induced condensation of F-actin on the axon shaft using various inhibitors. A study on the effect of topographical environment on axonal branch formation not only can contribute to expanding knowledge of the cell-biological mechanism of regulation of branch formation, but also contribute to the formation of the high-ordered neural system.