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

Abstract: 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 ({\mu}EF 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 {\mu}EF systems we developed an advanced, yet easy-to-use, open-source computational tool, {\mu}SpikeHunter, which provides detailed quantification of several communication-related properties such as propagation velocity, conduction failure, spike timings, and coding mechanisms. The combination of {\mu}EF devices and {\mu}SpikeHunter 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 {\mu}SpikeHunter in dorsal root ganglion neurons where we analyze the presence of anterograde signals in {\mu}EF devices.