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Past, Present, and Future of Neuronal Models In Vitro

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In Vitro Neuronal Networks

Part of the book series: Advances in Neurobiology ((NEUROBIOL,volume 22))

Abstract

Over the past century, robust methods were developed that enable the isolation, culture, and dynamic observation of mammalian neuronal networks in vitro. But even if neuronal culture cannot yet fully recapitulate the normal brain, the knowledge that has been acquired from these surrogate in vitro models is invaluable. Indeed, neuronal culture has continued to propel basic neuroscience research, proving that in vitro systems have legitimacy when it comes to studying either the healthy or diseased human brain. Furthermore, scientific advancement typically parallels technical refinements in the field. A pertinent example is that a collective drive in the field of neuroscience to better understand the development, organization, and emergent properties of neuronal networks is being facilitated by progressive advances in micro-electrode array (MEA) technology. In this chapter, we briefly review the emergence of neuronal cell culture as a technique, the current trends in human stem cell-based modeling, and the technologies used to monitor neuronal communication. We conclude by highlighting future prospects that are evolving specifically out of the combination of human neuronal models and MEA technology.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Human Genetics, Radboudumc, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

    Jason M. Keller & Monica Frega

  2. Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands

    Monica Frega

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  1. Jason M. Keller
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Correspondence to Monica Frega .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Rehab Technologies IIT-INAIL Joint Lab, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy

    Michela Chiappalone

  2. Neuroscience and Brain Technologies, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy

    Valentina Pasquale

  3. Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands

    Monica Frega

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Keller, J.M., Frega, M. (2019). Past, Present, and Future of Neuronal Models In Vitro. In: Chiappalone, M., Pasquale, V., Frega, M. (eds) In Vitro Neuronal Networks. Advances in Neurobiology, vol 22. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-11135-9_1

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