Abstract: The method of culturing cells disclosed herein includes printing cells onto a substrate that includes cell adhesive regions and cell repulsive regions. The cells are suspended in a printing medium to create a cell suspension, and a volume of the cell suspension is loaded into a printer. A cell adhesive region of the substrate is aligned beneath the printing channel of the printer, and droplets of the cell suspension are dispensed from the printing channel directly onto the cell adhesive region. Contact of the dispensed droplets with cell repulsive regions of the substrate is limited, either by targeting of the droplets to the cell adhesive regions, by repulsions generated by the cell repulsive areas, or both. The cells adhere to the cell adhesive regions to create a cell pattern, and are maintained thereafter in a physiologically suitable environment.

Abstract: The present invention comprises methods, systems and compositions comprising cell culture analog systems, comprising components which optionally comprise biologically functional cells, and the components and systems function similarly to in vivo conditions.

Abstract: The method of culturing cells disclosed herein includes printing cells onto a substrate that includes cell adhesive regions and cell repulsive regions. The cells are suspended in a printing medium to create a cell suspension, and a volume of the cell suspension is loaded into a printer. A cell adhesive region of the substrate is aligned beneath the printing channel of the printer, and droplets of the cell suspension are dispensed from the printing channel directly onto the cell adhesive region. Contact of the dispensed droplets with cell repulsive regions of the substrate is limited, either by targeting of the droplets to the cell adhesive regions, by repulsions generated by the cell repulsive areas, or both. The cells adhere to the cell adhesive regions to create a cell pattern, and are maintained thereafter in a physiologically suitable environment.

Abstract: The invention provides a nutrient medium composition and associated methods for lengthening the useful life of a culture of muscle cells. Disclosed is a method of culturing mammalian muscle cells, including preparing one or more carriers coated with a covalently bonded monolayer of trimethoxy-silylpropyl-diethylenetriamine (DETA); verifying DETA monolayer formation by one or more associated optical parameters; suspending isolated fetal rat skeletal muscle cells in serum-free medium according to medium composition 1; plating the suspended cells onto the prepared carriers at a predetermined density; leaving the carriers undisturbed for cells to adhere to the DETA monolayer; covering the carriers with a mixture of medium 1 and medium 2; and incubating.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods of differentiating human neural progenitor cells to nociceptor-like cells. Also disclosed are methods of making an innervated skin-like construct using nociceptor-like cells differentiated from human neural progenitor cells. Also disclosed are engineered constructs for screening potentially therapeutic compounds that include a skin-like construct and nociceptor-like cells differentiated from human neural progenitor cells. Also disclosed is a method of screening potential therapies.

Abstract: The invention provides a nutrient medium composition and associated methods for lengthening the useful life of a culture of muscle cells. Disclosed is a method of culturing mammalian muscle cells, including preparing one or more carriers coated with a covalently bonded monolayer of trimethoxy-silylpropyl-diethylenetriamine (DETA); verifying DETA monolayer formation by one or more associated optical parameters; suspending isolated fetal rat skeletal muscle cells in serum-free medium according to medium composition 1; plating the suspended cells onto the prepared carriers at a predetermined density; leaving the carriers undisturbed for cells to adhere to the DETA monolayer; covering the carriers with a mixture of medium 1 and medium 2; and incubating.

Abstract: In an aspect, the invention relates to compositions, methods, and kits for generating neural crest stem cells, sensory neurons, and Schwann cells. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present invention.

Abstract: The invention provides a nutrient medium composition and associated methods for lengthening the useful life of a culture of muscle cells. Disclosed is a method of culturing mammalian muscle cells, including preparing one or more carriers coated with a covalently bonded monolayer of trimethoxy-silylpropyl-diethylenetriamine (DETA); verifying DETA monolayer formation by one or more associated optical parameters; suspending isolated fetal rat skeletal muscle cells in serum-free medium according to medium composition 1; plating the suspended cells onto the prepared carriers at a predetermined density; leaving the carriers undisturbed for cells to adhere to the DETA monolayer; covering the carriers with a mixture of medium 1 and medium 2; and incubating.

Abstract: The present invention comprises methods, systems and compositions comprising cell culture analog systems, comprising components which optionally comprise biologically functional cells, and the components and systems function similarly to in vivo conditions.

Abstract: The present invention comprises methods, systems and compositions comprising concentric chamber cell culture analog devices, comprising biologically functional cells, which function similarly to in vivo conditions.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of co-culturing mammalian muscle cells and mammalian motoneurons. The method comprises preparing one or more carriers coated with a covalently bonded monolayer of trimethoxysilylpropyl diethylenetriamine (DETA); suspending isolated fetal mammalian skeletal muscle cells in serum-free medium according to medium composition 1; suspending isolated fetal mammalian spinal motoneurons in serum-free medium according to medium composition 1; plating the suspended muscle cells onto the one or more carriers at a predetermined density and allowing the muscle cells to attach; plating the suspended motoneurons at a predetermined density onto the one or more carriers and allowing the motoneurons to attach; covering the one or more carriers with a mixture of medium composition 1 and medium composition 2; and incubating the carriers covered in the media mixture.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of producing oligodendrocytes by in vitro differentiation of human multi-potent progenitor cells (MLPCs). The method comprises culturing isolated MLPCs on a first surface in a serum-free defined culture medium; replacing the culture medium with serum-free culture medium supplemented with bFGF, EGF and PDGF-AA for approximately 24 hours; changing the cultured MLPCs into the supplemented serum-free culture medium further supplemented with differentiation factors norepinephrine, forskolin. and K252a; establishing a 3D environment by covering the culture with a second surface opposite and spaced apart from the first surface, so as to contain the MLPCs therebetween; and continuing to culture until a majority of the MLPCs have differentiated into oligodendrocytes.

Abstract: A method of screening a compound for effectiveness in treating amyloid beta neurotoxicity comprises culturing mammalian neurons in serum-free defined medium until the neurons are electrically functional, exposing the electrically stable neurons to amyloid beta, monitoring the exposed neurons for impairment of electrical functionality, and treating the exposed neurons with the candidate drug while monitoring their electrical activity for reversal of impairment.

Abstract: This invention focuses on the marriage of solid-state electronics and neuronal function to create a new high-throughput electrophysiological assay to determine a compound's acute and chronic effect on cellular function. Electronics, surface chemistry, biotechnology, and fundamental neuroscience are integrated to provide an assay where the reporter element is an array of electrically active cells. This innovative technology can be applied to neurotoxicity, and to screening compounds from combinatorial chemistry, gene function analysis, and basic neuroscience applications. The system of the invention analyzes how the action potential is interrupted by drugs or toxins. Differences in the action potentials are due to individual toxins acting on different biochemical pathways, which in turn affects different ion channels, thereby changing the peak shape of the action potential differently for each toxin.

Abstract: This invention focuses on the marriage of solid-state electronics and neuronal function to create a new high-throughput electrophysiological assay to determine a compound's acute and chronic effect on cellular function. Electronics, surface chemistry, biotechnology, and fundamental neuroscience are integrated to provide an assay where the reporter element is an array of electrically active cells. This innovative technology can be applied to neurotoxicity, and to screening compounds from combinatorial chemistry, gene function analysis, and basic neuroscience applications. The system of the invention analyzes how the action potential is interrupted by drugs or toxins. Differences in the action potentials are due to individual toxins acting on different biochemical pathways, which in turn affects different ion channels, thereby changing the peak shape of the action potential differently for each toxin.

Abstract: This invention focuses on the marriage of solid-state electronics and neuronal function to create a new high-throughput electrophysiological assay to determine a compound's acute and chronic effect on cellular function. Electronics, surface chemistry, biotechnology, and fundamental neuroscience are integrated to provide an assay where the reporter element is an array of electrically active cells. This innovative technology can be applied to neurotoxicity, and to screening compounds from combinatorial chemistry, gene function analysis, and basic neuroscience applications. The system of the invention analyzes how the action potential is interrupted by drugs or toxins. Differences in the action potentials are due to individual toxins acting on different biochemical pathways, which in turn affects different ion channels, thereby changing the peak shape of the action potential differently for each toxin.

Abstract: A neuroelectric device is defined by a substrate having a neuronal cell provided thereon, a stimulator for the neuron, and a transducer for detecting a signal produced in the neuron. The neuronal cell is positioned on the substrate in a predefined orientation. The neuronal cell is conveniently oriented by providing a patterned self-assembled monolayer on the substrate. In a preferred embodiment, a capacitative transducer serves as the transducer and is capable of detecting a signal propagating in the neuron. A network of neuroelectric devices that defines a logic device also is contemplated, which includes a plurality of neurons each in electrical communication with another neuron. The neurons are provided in synaptic relationship so that a signal propagating in one neuron can be attenuated upon stimulation of another neuron.

Abstract: This invention focuses on the marriage of solid-state electronics and neuronal function to create a new high-throughput electrophysiological assay to determine a compound's acute and chronic effect on cellular function. Electronics, surface chemistry, biotechnology, and fundamental neuroscience are integrated to provide an assay where the reporter element is an array of electrically active cells. This innovative technology can be applied to neurotoxicity, and to screening compounds from combinatorial chemistry, gene function analysis, and basic neuroscience applications. The system of the invention analyzes how the action potential is interrupted by drugs or toxins. Differences in the action potentials are due to individual toxins acting on different biochemical pathways, which in turn affects different ion channels, thereby changing the peak shape of the action potential differently for each toxin.

Abstract: This invention focuses on the marriage of solid-state electronics and neuronal function to create a new high-throughput electrophysiological assay to determine a compound's acute and chronic effect on cellular function. Electronics, surface chemistry, biotechnology, and fundamental neuroscience are integrated to provide an assay where the reporter element is an array of electrically active cells. This innovative technology can be applied to neurotoxicity, and to screening compounds from combinatorial chemistry, gene function analysis, and basic neuroscience applications. The system of the invention analyzes how the action potential is interrupted by drugs or toxins. Differences in the action potentials are due to individual toxins acting on different biochemical pathways, which in turn affects different ion channels, thereby changing the peak shape of the action potential differently for each toxin.

Abstract: A biosensor for detecting a bioeffecting substance in a test sample includes a cell network of at least one electrically excitable cell provided on a substrate in a predetermined geometry with a predefined axonal/dendritic polarity. The at least one cell is capable of producing a signal in response to the presence of the bioeffecting substance. At least one signal transducer is provided with the substrate in a predetermined geometry and is capable of detecting the signal produced by the cell. A culture medium capable of supporting metabolism of the cell is also provided.