title: A novel 16k micro-nail CMOS-chip for in-vitro single-cell recording, stimulation and impedance measurements.
abstract: In neurophysiological and pharmaceutical research, parallel and individual access to a dense population of in-vitro cultured neurons is a key feature for analyzing networks of neurons. This paper presents a 0.18µm CMOS chip containing a dense array of micro-nail electrodes, a 128×128 sensor/actuator matrix with in-situ differential amplification circuits, pico-Ampere current stimulation, and impedance measurement circuits. Measurements on packaged chips show successful impedance measurements matching the simulation model and electrical recordings of in-vitro cultured cardiomyocytes, correlated with recorded changes in intra-cellular calcium concentrations. This system is a first step towards a high-throughput neuron/chip interface.
authors.affiliation: Imec, Bio-Electronic Systems group, Belgium. huys@imec.be
authors.forename: Roeland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Huys
authors.forename: Dries
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Braeken
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wouters
authors.forename: Josine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Loo
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Severi
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vleugels
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bartic
authors.forename: Gustaaf
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Borghs
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Eberle
mesh_terms: D000669:Amplifiers, Electronic; D020013:Calcium Signaling; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003201:Computers; D017097:Electric Impedance; D004566:Electrodes; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D008839:Microelectrodes; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning / Q000379:methods; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D013997:Time Factors