title: Biofuel cell operating on activated THP-1 cells: A fuel and substrate study.
abstract: It is known that electrochemical energy can be harvested from mammalian cells, more specifically from white blood cells (WBC). This study focuses on an improved biofuel cell operating on phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) activated THP-1 human monocytic cells. Electrochemical investigation showed strong evidence pointing towards hydrogen peroxide being the primary current source, confirming that the current originates from NADPH oxidase activity. Moreover, an adequate substrate for differentiation and activation of THP-1 cells was examined. ITO, gold, platinum and glass were tested and the amount of superoxide anion produced by NADPH oxidase was measured by spectrophotometry through WST-1 reduction at 450nm and used as an indicator of cellular activity and viability. These substrates were subsequently used in a conventional two-compartment biofuel cell where the power density output was recorded. The material showing the highest cell activity compared to the reference cell culture plate and the highest power output was ITO. Under our experimental conditions, a power density of 4.5μW/cm2was reached. To the best of our knowledge, this is a threefold higher power output than other leukocyte biofuel cells.
authors: ETH Zürich, Nanotechnology Group, Säumerstrasse 4, CH-8803 Rüschlikon, Switzerland. Electronic address: kjavor@ethz.ch.
authors: Kristina
authors: K
authors: Javor
authors: ETH Zürich, Nanotechnology Group, Säumerstrasse 4, CH-8803 Rüschlikon, Switzerland.
authors: Jean-Nicolas
authors: JN
authors: Tisserant
authors: ETH Zürich, Nanotechnology Group, Säumerstrasse 4, CH-8803 Rüschlikon, Switzerland. Electronic address: astemmer@ethz.ch.
authors: Andreas
authors: A
authors: Stemmer
mesh_terms: D001674:Bioelectric Energy Sources; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002460:Cell Line; D004560:Electricity; D006801:Humans; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000378:metabolism; D009000:Monocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D019255:NADPH Oxidases / Q000378:metabolism; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D019255:NADPH Oxidases; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate
keywords: Energy harvesting; Hydrogen peroxide; Leukocytes; Macrophages; THP-1