Transparent, flexible graphene–ITO-based neural microelectrodes for simultaneous electrophysiology recording and calcium imaging of intracortical neural activity in freely moving mice
Abstract To understand the complex dynamics of neural activity in the brain across various temporal and spatial scales, it is crucial to record intracortical multimodal neural activity by combining electrophysiological recording and calcium imaging techniques. This poses significant constraints on t...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Publishing Group
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Microsystems & Nanoengineering |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41378-025-00873-y |
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| author | Miao Yuan Fei Li Feng Xue Yang Wang Baoqiang Li Rongyu Tang Yijun Wang Guo-Qiang Bi Weihua Pei |
| author_facet | Miao Yuan Fei Li Feng Xue Yang Wang Baoqiang Li Rongyu Tang Yijun Wang Guo-Qiang Bi Weihua Pei |
| author_sort | Miao Yuan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract To understand the complex dynamics of neural activity in the brain across various temporal and spatial scales, it is crucial to record intracortical multimodal neural activity by combining electrophysiological recording and calcium imaging techniques. This poses significant constraints on the geometrical, mechanical, and optical properties of the electrodes. Here, transparent flexible graphene–ITO-based neural microelectrodes with small feature sizes are developed and validated for simultaneous electrophysiology recording and calcium imaging in the hippocampus of freely moving mice. A micro-etching technique and an oxygen plasma pre-treating method are introduced to facilitate large-area graphene transfer and establish stable low-impedance contacts between graphene and metals, leading to the batch production of high-quality microelectrodes with interconnect widths of 10 μm and recording sites diameters of 20 μm. These electrodes exhibit appropriate impedance and sufficient transparency in the field of view, enabling simultaneous recording of intracortical local field potentials and even action potentials along with calcium imaging in freely moving mice. Both types of electrophysiological signals are found to correlate with calcium activity. This proof-of-concept work demonstrates that transparent flexible graphene–ITO-based neural microelectrodes are promising tools for multimodal neuroscience research. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b476045ecff54f3db8c0df2b76af8796 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2055-7434 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Nature Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Microsystems & Nanoengineering |
| spelling | doaj-art-b476045ecff54f3db8c0df2b76af87962025-08-20T03:03:58ZengNature Publishing GroupMicrosystems & Nanoengineering2055-74342025-02-0111111410.1038/s41378-025-00873-yTransparent, flexible graphene–ITO-based neural microelectrodes for simultaneous electrophysiology recording and calcium imaging of intracortical neural activity in freely moving miceMiao Yuan0Fei Li1Feng Xue2Yang Wang3Baoqiang Li4Rongyu Tang5Yijun Wang6Guo-Qiang Bi7Weihua Pei8Laboratory of Solid-State Optoelectronics Information Technology, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of SciencesInterdisciplinary Center for Brain Information, the Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of SciencesHefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of ChinaLaboratory of Solid-State Optoelectronics Information Technology, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of SciencesInterdisciplinary Center for Brain Information, the Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of SciencesLaboratory of Solid-State Optoelectronics Information Technology, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of SciencesLaboratory of Solid-State Optoelectronics Information Technology, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of SciencesInterdisciplinary Center for Brain Information, the Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of SciencesLaboratory of Solid-State Optoelectronics Information Technology, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of SciencesAbstract To understand the complex dynamics of neural activity in the brain across various temporal and spatial scales, it is crucial to record intracortical multimodal neural activity by combining electrophysiological recording and calcium imaging techniques. This poses significant constraints on the geometrical, mechanical, and optical properties of the electrodes. Here, transparent flexible graphene–ITO-based neural microelectrodes with small feature sizes are developed and validated for simultaneous electrophysiology recording and calcium imaging in the hippocampus of freely moving mice. A micro-etching technique and an oxygen plasma pre-treating method are introduced to facilitate large-area graphene transfer and establish stable low-impedance contacts between graphene and metals, leading to the batch production of high-quality microelectrodes with interconnect widths of 10 μm and recording sites diameters of 20 μm. These electrodes exhibit appropriate impedance and sufficient transparency in the field of view, enabling simultaneous recording of intracortical local field potentials and even action potentials along with calcium imaging in freely moving mice. Both types of electrophysiological signals are found to correlate with calcium activity. This proof-of-concept work demonstrates that transparent flexible graphene–ITO-based neural microelectrodes are promising tools for multimodal neuroscience research.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41378-025-00873-y |
| spellingShingle | Miao Yuan Fei Li Feng Xue Yang Wang Baoqiang Li Rongyu Tang Yijun Wang Guo-Qiang Bi Weihua Pei Transparent, flexible graphene–ITO-based neural microelectrodes for simultaneous electrophysiology recording and calcium imaging of intracortical neural activity in freely moving mice Microsystems & Nanoengineering |
| title | Transparent, flexible graphene–ITO-based neural microelectrodes for simultaneous electrophysiology recording and calcium imaging of intracortical neural activity in freely moving mice |
| title_full | Transparent, flexible graphene–ITO-based neural microelectrodes for simultaneous electrophysiology recording and calcium imaging of intracortical neural activity in freely moving mice |
| title_fullStr | Transparent, flexible graphene–ITO-based neural microelectrodes for simultaneous electrophysiology recording and calcium imaging of intracortical neural activity in freely moving mice |
| title_full_unstemmed | Transparent, flexible graphene–ITO-based neural microelectrodes for simultaneous electrophysiology recording and calcium imaging of intracortical neural activity in freely moving mice |
| title_short | Transparent, flexible graphene–ITO-based neural microelectrodes for simultaneous electrophysiology recording and calcium imaging of intracortical neural activity in freely moving mice |
| title_sort | transparent flexible graphene ito based neural microelectrodes for simultaneous electrophysiology recording and calcium imaging of intracortical neural activity in freely moving mice |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41378-025-00873-y |
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