Basal ganglia-on-chip for screening therapeutic agents for brain and nervous system diseases

A basal ganglia-on-a-chip for screening therapeutic agents for dopamine-dependent brain and nervous system diseases, the basal ganglia-on-a-chip comprising:

• graphene-conjugated magnetic nanoparticles patterned on a substrate;
• a first layer comprising (i) a first hydrogel containing glutamatergic neurons and (ii) a second hydrogel containing GABAergic neurons, the first and second hydrogels being disposed in parallel on a pattern of the graphene-conjugated magnetic nanoparticles;
• a second layer comprising a third hydrogel in contact with the second hydrogel, the third hydrogel containing GABAergic neurons and neuronal membrane protein-specific antibody-conjugated magnetic nanoparticles;
• and
• a third layer comprising a fourth hydrogel in contact with the third hydrogel, the fourth hydrogel containing dopaminergic neurons and neuronal membrane protein-specific antibody-conjugated magnetic nanoparticles,
• wherein the third hydrogel is on the second hydrogel and the fourth hydrogel is on the third hydrogel, and
• wherein the GABAergic neuron of the third hydrogel and the dopaminergic neurons of the fourth hydrogel induced vertical growth towards the substrate,
• wherein the first hydrogel and the second hydrogel have a concentration of gelatin methacrylate (GeIMA) of more than 3.0 w/w % and less than 5.0 w/w %, and
• wherein the GeIMA is synthesized by adding 0.4 mL/g methacrylate to Dulbecco's phosphate-buffered saline (DPBS) in which 10 w/v % gelatin is dissolved.