title: Improved cell sensitivity and longevity in a rapid impedance-based toxicity sensor.
abstract: A number of toxicity sensors for testing field water using a range of eukaryotic cell types have been proposed, but it has been difficult to identify sensors with both appropriate sensitivity to toxicants and the potential for long-term viability. Assessment of bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cell (BPAEC) monolayer electrical impedance with electric cell-substrate impedance sensing (ECIS) showed promise in a previous systematic evaluation of toxicity sensor technologies. The goal of the study reported here was to improve toxicant responsiveness and field portability of this cell-based toxicity sensor. A variety of human cells, non-human mammalian cells, and non-mammalian vertebrate cells were screened for sensitivity to 12 waterborne industrial chemicals. The results of this assessment show that bovine lung microvessel endothelial cell (BLMVEC) monolayers and iguana heart (IgH-2) cell monolayers could detect nine out of the 12 waterborne industrial chemicals, an improvement over the seven chemicals previously detected using BPAEC monolayers. Both the BLMVEC and IgH-2 cell monolayers were tested for their ability for long-term survival on the ECIS test chips in a laboratory environment. Both cell lines were able to maintain high impedance readings on the ECIS electrodes for 37 days, a key trait in developing a field-portable toxicity sensor for water. Cell line optimization has greatly contributed to the on-going development of a field-portable cell-based biosensor that detects with sensitivity a wide range of waterborne toxicants.
authors.affiliation: Agave BioSystems, Inc., Ithaca, NY 14850, USA.
authors.forename: Theresa M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Curtis
authors.forename: Joel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tabb
authors.forename: Lori
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Romeo
authors.forename: Steven J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Schwager
authors.forename: Mark W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Widder
authors.forename: William H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: van der Schalie
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015374:Biosensing Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D002417:Cattle; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D017097:Electric Impedance; D004566:Electrodes; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007076:Iguanas; D018675:Toxicity Tests / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical