Implantable Microfluidic Device with Hydrogel Permeable Membrane for Delivering Chemical Compounds and Imaging Neural Cells in Living Mice

Abstract

Imaging of neural cells in living mice is a promising approach in neuroscience research and neurological medicine. In this paper, we report an implantable micro-fluidic device with hydrogel permeable membrane, which acts as an interface with functions of delivering chemical compounds into brain tissues and imaging neural cells with high-resolution using two-photon laser scanning microscopy (2PLSM). Small pore size of the hydrogel permeable membrane enables filtration to avoid bacterial infection. For showing feasibility of the developed device in advanced neuroscience research, delivery of chemical compounds into the brain tissue and intravital imaging of neurons by 2PLSM were performed.