Non-invasive extracellular measurement using a multi-electrode array (MEA) has been widely used in neuroscience for the past two decades [56-61], and has proven to be an effective long-term electrophysiological measurement technique for neural cells. Integration of microfluidic control of neuronal connectivity with non-invasive extracellular measurement using MEA provides a new avenue for experimentation [23,62]. In addition to the simultaneous multisite recording capability of this approach, it also gives the possibility to specifically stimulate different neuronal compartments (dendrites, soma and axons). This feature provides a powerful method to elucidate compartment specific mechanisms and also offers interesting approaches for drug screening [63]. Using a combination of microfluidic chip with MEA for stimulation and recording, Takeuchi et al. cultured superior cervical ganglia neurons and ventricular myocytes separately on microfluidic chips and showed that the MEA-controlled firing rate of cervical neurons could modulate the beat rate of cardiomyocytes [64].
