神經元（neuron）是一種高度特化的細胞，具有許多特化性次細胞結構。其中軸突（axon）是一種細長的神經纖維（process），從神經細胞本體（soma）中延伸出去接上目標細胞，在神經系統的功能和發育上軸突都扮演相當重要的角色。然而目前對中樞神經系統（central nervous system）軸突的研究並沒有很好的體外培養（in vitro）研究平台。因此本論文發展一個裝置，此裝置可以將大鼠（SD rats）海馬迴神經細胞（hippocampal cells）的軸突和細胞本體以及樹突（dendrites）分離開來，裝置使用孔徑為1μm的PCTE（聚碳酸酯）膜，並在PCTE膜下方緊貼著有孔洞且厚度為500μm的PDMS膜，之後上下由兩個大小相同的PDMS夾板固定組成。將海馬迴神經細胞養在PCTE膜上，因細胞本體的直徑約為10μm，所以會被侷限在PCTE膜上，僅有神經纖維可以穿過PCTE膜的孔洞往PDMS膜生長；成熟的神經細胞其樹突的長度只能長到約300μm，然而軸突的長度可以長到超過500μm，所以利用此裝置能夠在PDMS膜下層部分收集到單純的軸突。利用免疫螢光染色法證實在此裝置的PDMS膜下層僅有軸突而沒有樹突或是細胞本體存在。

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