Figure 6.

Bioelectronic neural interfaces with bioinspired functionalization. At left, a typical immune response to a non-coated neural implant is illustrated. Astrocytes and microglia accumulate at the probe interface, ultimately forming a glial scar, and neuronal loss is observed around the probe. At center, a probe with neuron-promoting coating (such as L1 or Matrigel) prevents local neural loss while reducing immune response, thoroughly incorporating the probe with the endogenous neural tissue. At right, an interface with anti-inflammatory coating (such as α-MSH or IL1-receptor antagonist) significantly reduces the presence of microglia and astrocytes, allowing unhindered access to local neurons.