Low-Frequency Impedance-Based Cell Discrimination Considering Ion Transport Model in Cell Suspension

Low-frequency impedance-based (LFI) cell discrimination as a novel non-destructive and non-invasive cell discrimination is proposed. LFI cell discrimination discriminates the cell type by considering an ion transport model in cell suspension. Ion transport model in cell suspension is constructed on the basis of Fick's laws of diffusion in the extracellular region under ion permeability P which represents the characteristics of cell type. P is achieved using the ion transport model equation through an iterative curve fitting to an ion concentration in extracellular region obtained from low-frequency impedance which is assumed to be linearly related to the ion concentration in extracellular region. In experiment, the electrical impedance spectra from the frequency of 200 kHz to 2.0 MHz are measured over time during producing ions from intracellular region to extracellular one in cell suspension using an impedance analyzer and an interdigitated array electrode system. As a target cell type, two different cell types based on Medical Research Council 5 (MRC-5), which are different in intracellular component are used. The curve fitting is performed for the low-frequency impedance at 200 kHz at which impedance reflects the ion concentration in extracellular region in order to obtain P of each cell type. As a result, each cell type has its own P. The proposed LFI cell discrimination successfully discriminates the cell type.