METHOD AND DEVICE FOR THE CONTROL AND ANALYSIS OF NERVE CELL GROWTH

摘要

The invention relates to a method to control the growth rate and direction of one or several neurons by means of a long, short or ultrashort pulsed laser light focused at a certain distance from the axonal growth cone. This effect seems to be due to a signaling exchange between the beam and the neuron. This invention includes an analysis method to determine the direction of growth of the filopodia. These methods are integrated in a device which allows the study and guidance of the neuron axons. The invention assures cell viability since the laser is never in direct contact with the nerve cell, further allowing the guidance of multiple axons towards the focal point. This considerably favors the creation of a possible effective therapy in the search for functional axonal connections and/or reconnections.