title: Miniaturized integrated platform for electrical and optical monitoring of cell cultures.
abstract: The following paper describes the design and functions of a miniaturized integrated platform for optical and electrical monitoring of cell cultures and the necessary steps in the fabrication and testing of a silicon microchip Micro ElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS)-based technology for cell data recording, monitoring and stimulation. The silicon microchip consists of a MEMS machined device containing a shank of 240 μm width, 3 mm long and 50 μm thick and an enlarged area of 5 mm × 5 mm hosting the pads for electrical connections. Ten platinum electrodes and five sensors are placed on the shank and are connected with the external electronics through the pads. The sensors aim to monitor the pH, the temperature and the impedance of the cell culture. The electrodes are bidirectional and can be used both for electrical potential recording and stimulation of cells. The fabrication steps are presented, along with the electrical and optical characterization of the system. The target of the research is to develop a new and reconfigurable platform according to the particular applications needs, as a tool for the biologist, chemists and medical doctors working is the field of cell culture monitoring in terms of growth, maintenance conditions, reaction to electrical or chemical stimulation (drugs, toxicants, etc.). HaCaT (Immortalised Human Keratinocyte) cell culture has been used for demonstration purposes in order to provide information on the platform electrical and optical functions.
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Research and Development in Microtechnologies, 126 Erou Iancu Nicolae, Bucharest 077190, Romania. carmen.moldovan@imt.ro
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Moldovan
authors.forename: Rodica
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Iosub
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Codreanu
authors.forename: Bogdan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Firtat
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Necula
authors.forename: Costin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brasoveanu
authors.forename: Ion
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Stan
mesh_terms: D000814:Aniline Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D055617:Micro-Electrical-Mechanical Systems / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D008839:Microelectrodes; D057139:Nanofibers; D061848:Optical Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D000814:Aniline Compounds; C416807:polyaniline
keywords: cell culture monitoring; integrated microsensors and microelectrodes; miniaturized platform; optical and electrical testing