Transparent Intracellular Sensing Platform with Si Needles for Simultaneous Live Imaging

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Materials Science
• Cell Biology

Background:

• Vertically ordered silicon (Si) needles offer promising intracellular recording capabilities with minimal cell damage.
• Simultaneous live cell imaging is crucial for understanding cellular function but is hindered by opaque Si substrates.
• Existing methods lack the integration needed for combined intracellular recording and live imaging.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a transparent intracellular sensing platform enabling simultaneous recording and live cell imaging.
• To overcome the optical limitations of traditional silicon-based intracellular probes.
• To facilitate advanced cellular research through integrated sensing and imaging.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of vertical Si needles integrated onto a transparent elastomeric substrate.
• Incorporation of a percolated network of gold-silver (Au-Ag) nanowires for transparency and conductivity.
• Validation of the platform's electrochemical impedance, optical transparency, mechanical compliance, and cell viability.
• Demonstration of simultaneous intracellular recording and live imaging using inverted and confocal microscopy.

Main Results:

• The developed platform is optically transparent, mechanically compliant, and supports cell viability.
• Simultaneous intracellular electrical potential monitoring and live imaging were achieved in cardiomyocyte cells.
• The platform successfully recorded electrical activity in 3D engineered cardiovascular tissue during live imaging.
• The system demonstrated compatibility with standard live imaging techniques like confocal microscopy.

Conclusions:

• The transparent intracellular sensing platform effectively integrates vertical Si needles with Au-Ag nanowires on an elastomeric substrate.
• This novel platform overcomes the opacity issue of Si wafers, enabling simultaneous intracellular recording and live cell imaging.
• The technology holds significant potential for advancing research in neuroscience, cardiology, muscle physiology, and drug screening.