(June 24, 2015) Scientists
at Karolinska Institutet have managed to build a fully functional neuron by
using organic bioelectronics. This artificial neuron contain no ‘living’ parts,
but is capable of mimicking the function of a human nerve cell and communicate
in the same way as our own neurons do.
Neurons are isolated from each other and communicate with
the help of chemical signals, commonly called neurotransmitters or signal
substances. Inside a neuron, these chemical signals are converted to an
electrical action potential, which travels along the axon of the neuron until it reaches the end. Here at
the synapse, the electrical signal is converted to the release of chemical
signals, which via diffusion can relay the signal to the next nerve cell.
To date, the primary technique for neuronal stimulation in
human cells is based on electrical stimulation. However, scientists at the
Swedish Medical Nanoscience Centre (SMNC) at Karolinska Institutet's Department
of Neuroscience in collaboration with collegues at Linköping University, have
now created an organic bioelectronic device that is capable of receiving
chemical signals, which it can then relay to human cells.