Culturing and patch clamping of Jurkat T cells and neurons on Al(2)O(3) coated nanowire arrays of altered morphology

Nanowire substrates play an increasingly important role for cell cultures as an approach for hybrid bio-semiconductor junctions. We investigate Jurkat T cells and neurons from mice cultured on Al(2)O(3) coated ordered and randomly distributed nanowires. Cell viability was examined by life/membrane staining reporting comparable viability on planar and nanowire substrates. Imaging the hybrid interface reveals a wrapping of the cell membrane around the very nanowire tip. Patch clamp recordings show similar electrophysiological responses on each type of nanowires compared to planar control substrates. We demonstrate that the morphological characteristic of the nanowire substrate plays a subordinate role which opens up the arena for a large range of nanowire substrates in a functionalized application such as stimulation or sensing.