A microelectrode array（MEA） is presented, which is composed of 60 independent electrodes with 59 working ones and one reference one, and they are divided into 30 pairs. Except for the reference electrode, each pair consists of one stimulating electrode and one recording electrode. Supported by the peripheral circuits, four electrode states to study the bioelectrical signal of biological tissue or slice cultured in-vitro on the surface of the electrodes can be realized through each pair of electrodes. The four electrode states are stimulation, recording, stimulation and recording simultaneously, and isolation. The state of each pair of working electrodes can be arbitrarily controlled according to actual needs. The MEAs are fabricated in printed circuit board （PCB） technology. The total area of the PCB-based MEA is 49 mm × 49 mm. The impedance measurement of MEA is carried out in 0.9% sodium chloride solution at room temperature by means of 2-point measurements with an Agilent LCR meter, and the test signal for the impedance measurement is sinusoidal （AC voltage 50 mV, sweeping frequency 20 Hz to 10 kHz）. The electrode impedance is between 200 and 3 kΩ while the frequency is between 500 and 1 000 Hz. The electrode impedance magnitude is inversely proportional to the frequency. Experiments of toad sciatic nerve in-vitro stimulation and recording and signal regeneration between isolated toad sciatic nerves are carried out on the PCB-based MEA. The results show that the MEA can be used for bioelectrical signal stimulation, recording, stimulation and recording simultaneously, and isolation of biological tissues or slices in-vitro.
A microelectronic circuit is used to regenerate the neural signals between the proximal end and the distal end of an injured nerve.An experimental scheme is designed and carried out to verify the feasibility of the so-called microelectronic neural bridge（MNB）.The sciatic signals of the source spinal toad which are evoked by chemical stimuli are used as source signals to stimulate the sciatic of the controlled spinal toad.The sciatic nerve signals of the source spinal toad,the regenerated sciatic signals in the controlled spinal toad,and the resulting electromyography（EMG）signals associated with the gastrocnemius muscle movements of the controlled spinal toad are displayed and recorded by an oscilloscope.By analyzing the coherence between the source sciatic nerve signals and the regenerated sciatic nerve signals and the coherence between the regenerated nerve signals and the EMG signals,it is proved that the regenerated sciatic nerve signals have a relationship with the source sciatic nerve signals and control shrinkage of the leg of the controlled toad.
