Computer Chips Wired with Nerve Cells

By Andrew Jin

Researchers have found that when nerve cells are put in semiconductor tubes, they thread their way to form a crisscrossed vine-like network. Semiconductor is a material with electrical conductivity in between that of an insulator and a conductor. It is the foundation of modern electronics such as radios, computers, telephones, and many other devices. Therefore, mouse nerve cells exploring the semiconductor tubes could lead breakthroughs in studying how nerves work. It could also lead to ways for studying nervous system diseases or testing effects of drugs and medicine. A nerve-electronic hybrid could also allow researchers to make a brain-computer interface for artificial limbs or other prosthetic devices. Graduate student Minrui Yu of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and his colleagues laid the groundwork for a nerve-electronic hybrid by creating semiconductor tubes layered with silicon and germanium. The tubes allowed the offshoots and extensions of the nerve cells to crawl through, but were too small for the main cell. Since the nerves follow the tunnels of the tubes, the approach allows researchers to create elaborate and precise networks of nerve cells. In the future, voltage sensors and other devices may be placed into the tubes to "listen in" on the cells. Researchers could then study how healthy neurons behave with malfunctioning neurons. This is very valuable in Parkinson's or multiple sclerosis because both diseases involve malfunction in the communications between nerve cells. Also, what I thought was especially interesting was that the process would make it easier to combine living cells with technology. Engineers could seamlessly integrate artificial limbs, and greatly improve the lives of people with disabilities.

Citations:

Ehrenberg, Rachel. "Computer chips wired with nerve cells." ScienceNews. N.p., 9
     Apr. 2011. Web. 8 May 2011. <http://sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/
     71395/title/Computer_chips_wired_with_nerve_cells>.

 Picture: http://sciencenews.org/view/download/id/71397/name/NERVY_NAVIGATION