Bio-hybrid interfaces to study neuromorphic functionalities: New multidisciplinary evidences of cell viability on poly(anyline) (PANI), a semiconductor polymer with memristive properties

The interfacing of artificial devices with biological systems is a challenging field that crosses several disciplines ranging from fundamental research (biophysical chemistry, neurobiology, material and surface science) to frontier technological application (nanotechnology, bioelectronics). The memristor is the fourth fundamental circuit element, whose electrical properties favor applications in signal processing, neural networks, and brain–computer interactions and it represents a new frontier for technological applications in many fields including the nanotechnologies, bioelectronics and the biosensors. Using multidisciplinary approaches, covering surface science, cell biology and electrophysiology, we successfully implemented a living bio-hybrid system constituted by cells adhering to films of poly(aniline) (PANI), a semiconductor polymer having memristive properties assembled with polyelectrolytes. Here we tested whether the PANI devices could support survivor, adhesion and differentiation of several cell lines, including the neuron-like SHSY5Y cells. Moreover, we performed electrophysiology on these cells showing that the biophysical properties are retained with differences occurring in the recorded ion currents. Taken together, the cell viability here reported is the key requirement to design and develop a reliable functional memristor-based bio-hybrid able to mimic neuronal activity and plasticity.