Propagating electrical signals enable neuronal communication and underlie brain function. Its dysfunction, both at a micro- and macro- scale, plays a central role in deliberating pathologies. Therefore, an unrestricted access to the physiology of neurons is crucial for studying information processing within neuronal networks and accelerating drug development for neurological disorders.

High-density microelectrode array (HD-MEA) technology enables chronic label-free invitro extracellular recordings of action potentials in neurons. MaxOne (single-) and MaxTwo (multi-well) HD-MEA Systems (MaxWell Biosystems, Switzerland) simultaneously capture fast propagating action potentials across multiple neurons and enables valuable investigation encompassing different scales, from the network level, single-cell level, to even the sub-cellular level.

Equipped with our MaxLab Live software suite, we evaluated the neuronal activity of neuronal cell cultures, brain organoids, as well as brain slices through three assays: (A) The ActivityScan Assay measures the overall activity and extract key features such as the firing rate and spike amplitude. (B) The Network Assay examines the synchronicity (a sign of functional connectivity) across different neurons by investigating the network bursts. (C) Lastly, the AxonTracking Assay automatically detects and functionally characterizes axonal signals across multiple neurons.

Taken together, we showcase the capabilities of our HD-MEA platforms equipped with the MaxLab Live software suite to capture neuronal physiology across the network, cellular, and sub-cellular levels for neurological disease modeling and screening novel therapeutic treatment strategies.