Point-of-Care Diagnostic Device for the Quantitative Analysis of Human Estradiol at Low-Picomolar Concentrations

A fundamental issue in healthcare is the development of cost-effective and reliable diagnostic assays. While still a relatively new field, paper-based analytical devices are emerging as inexpensive and portable methods of providing healthcare professionals with real-time diagnostic information. Furthermore, these devices can often be used at the point of care, thus eliminating the need for a myriad of time-consuming laboratory techniques. While the original goal of this project was to develop a paper-based lateral flow immunoassay capable of colorimetric quantitation, the device design was altered over the course of the past year. Upon testing, the originally proposed lateral flow assay lacked adequate sensitivity and reliability. Therefore, a novel three-dimensional paper-based analytical device was developed. This new device design utilizes enzymatic amplification to break down a biomatrix, ultimately producing a chronometric readout. This unique biomatrix can detect \u3c1 femtomole (10-15) of analyte, with degradation time being directly correlated to analyte concentration. Thus far, device storage conditions, viable pH ranges, and viable temperature ranges have been determined. While further refinement is still needed, these diagnostic devices have the potential to revolutionize point-of-care assays through the quantification of analytes in both field and clinical settings

Xenotransplanted Human Cortical Neurons Reveal Species-Specific Development and Functional Integration into Mouse Visual Circuits

How neural circuits develop in the human brain has remained almost impossible to study at the neuronal level. Here, we investigate human cortical neuron development, plasticity, and function using a mouse/human chimera model in which xenotransplanted human cortical pyramidal neurons integrate as single cells into the mouse cortex. Combined neuronal tracing, electrophysiology, and in vivo structural and functional imaging of the transplanted cells reveal a coordinated developmental roadmap recapitulating key milestones of human cortical neuron development. The human neurons display a prolonged developmental timeline, indicating the neuron-intrinsic retention of juvenile properties as an important component of human brain neoteny. Following maturation, human neurons in the visual cortex display tuned, decorrelated responses to visual stimuli, like mouse neurons, demonstrating their capacity for physiological synaptic integration in host cortical circuits. These findings provide new insights into human neuronal development and open novel avenues for the study of human neuronal function and disease. VIDEO ABSTRACT.status: publishe

Xenotransplanted Human Cortical Neurons Reveal Species-Specific Development and Functional Integration into Mouse Visual Circuits

How neural circuits develop in the human brain has remained almost impossible to study at the neuronal level. Here, we investigate human cortical neuron development, plasticity, and function using a mouse/human chimera model in which xenotransplanted human cortical pyramidal neurons integrate as single cells into the mouse cortex. Combined neuronal tracing, electrophysiology, and in vivo structural and functional imaging of the transplanted cells reveal a coordinated developmental roadmap recapitulating key milestones of human cortical neuron development. The human neurons display a prolonged developmental timeline, indicating the neuron-intrinsic retention of juvenile properties as an important component of human brain neoteny. Following maturation, human neurons in the visual cortex display tuned, decorrelated responses to visual stimuli, like mouse neurons, demonstrating their capacity for physiological synaptic integration in host cortical circuits. These findings provide new insights into human neuronal development and open novel avenues for the study of human neuronal function and disease. VIDEO ABSTRACT