Related Experiment Videos
Design and demonstration of an automated cell-based biosensor
S A Gray1, J K Kusel, K M Shaffer
1Center for Bio/Molecular Science and Engineering, Code 6900, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC 20375, USA.
Biosensors & Bioelectronics
|September 7, 2001
Summary
This study presents an improved cell-based biosensor system for toxicity monitoring. The new system offers enhanced data acquisition and control, enabling precise extracellular recordings for physiological measurements.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Cellular Biosensing
- Toxicology
Background:
- Cell-based biosensors offer physiologically relevant toxicity monitoring.
- Extracellular recordings from excitable cells provide noninvasive, long-term measurements.
- Previous systems lacked thermal control, fluidics handling, and data acquisition (DAQ).
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop an advanced cell-based biosensor system.
- To improve upon a previous prototype's deficiencies in thermal control, fluidics, and DAQ.
- To enable high signal-to-noise extracellular recordings for biosensor applications.
Main Methods:
- Integrated low-noise amplifier and filter boards.
- Two-stage thermal control with fluidics and a PC-based graphical user interface for DAQ.
- Utilized commercial off-the-shelf components for system design and fabrication.
Main Results:
- Achieved input-referred noise levels of 5-10 microV(RMS).
- System resolves extracellular potentials exceeding 50-60 microV.
- Automated temperature (36-37°C) and fluidics (0-2.5 ml/min) control demonstrated.
Conclusions:
- The developed system effectively resolves small extracellular potentials.
- Demonstrated capability using recordings from embryonic chick cardiac myocytes.
- The system is suitable for advanced toxicity monitoring and cellular functional analysis.