μSpikeHunter: An advanced computational tool for the analysis of neuronal communication and action potential propagation in microfluidic platforms

Understanding neuronal communication is fundamental in neuroscience but there are few methodologies offering detailed analysis for well-controlled conditions. By interfacing microElectrode arrays with microFluidics (μEF devices), it is possible to compartmentalize neuronal cultures with a specified alignment of axons and microelectrodes. This setup allows extracellular recordings of spike propagation with high signal-to-noise ratio over the course of several weeks. Addressing these μEF systems we developed an advanced, yet easy-to-use, open-source computational tool, μSpikeHunter, which provides detailed quantification of several communication-related properties such as propagation velocity, conduction failure, spike timings, and coding mechanisms. The combination of μEF devices and μSpikeHunter can be used in the context of standard neuronal cultures or with co-culture configurations where, for example, communication between sensory neurons and other cell types is monitored and assessed. The ability to analyze axonal signals (in a user-friendly, time-efficient, high-throughput manner) opens doors to new approaches to studies of peripheral innervation, neural coding, and neuroregeneration approaches, among many others. We demonstrate the use of μSpikeHunter in dorsal root ganglion neurons where we analyze the presence of anterograde signals in μEF devices.