3D liquid crystal elastomer (3D-LCE) foams are used to support long-term neuronal cultures for over 60 days. Sequential imaging shows that cell density remains relatively constant throughout the culture period while the number of cells per observational area increases. In a subset of samples, retinoic acid is used to stimulate extensive neuritic outgrowth and maturation of proliferated neurons within the LCEs, inducing a threefold increase in length with cells displaying morphologies indicative of mature neurons. Designed LCEs' micro-channels have a similar diameter to endogenous parenchymal arterioles, ensuring that neurons throughout the construct have constant access to growth media during extended experiments. Here it is shown that 3D-LCEs provide a unique environment and simple method to longitudinally study spatial neuronal function, not possible in conventional culture environments, with simplistic integration into existing methodological pipelines.

中文翻译：

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支持长期神经元培养的3D多孔液晶弹性体泡沫。

3D液晶弹性体（3D-LCE）泡沫用于支持60天内的长期神经元培养。顺序成像显示，在整个培养期间，细胞密度保持相对恒定，而每个观察区域的细胞数量增加。在样本的子集中，视黄酸用于刺激LCE内广泛的神经生长和增殖神经元的成熟，诱导长度增加三倍，而细胞显示出指示成熟神经元的形态。设计的LCE的微通道的直径与内源性实质小动脉的直径相似，从而确保整个构造过程中的神经元在扩展的实验过程中都能恒定地进入生长介质。此处显示3D-LCE为纵向研究空间神经元功能提供了独特的环境和简单的方法，