Revealing cell-substrate adhesion at subcellular resolution with ultra-flat field-effect transistor arrays.

Area of Science:

• Bioelectronics
• Cellular Biology
• Materials Science

Background:

• In vitro cell models are crucial for biological research, bridging in vivo and acellular studies.
• Conventional methods often require fluorescent labeling, limiting real-time, non-invasive observation.
• Electric Cell-substrate Impedance Sensing (ECIS) offers label-free monitoring but lacks single-cell resolution.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel bioelectronic readout for label-free, single-cell monitoring.
• To extend ECIS capabilities using ultra-flat field-effect transistors (UF-FETs).
• To demonstrate real-time tracking of cellular behavior and artificial membrane dynamics.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of planar UF-FETs via local oxidation of silicon.
• Monitoring cell adhesion using the transistor-transfer function method on UF-FET gates.
• Utilizing rat umbilical cord fibroblasts for migration studies and erythrocyte ghost cells for validation.

Main Results:

• Achieved single-cell and sub-cellular resolution in monitoring cell adhesion and migration.
• Successfully detected the dynamics of lipid vesicles on UF-FET gates in real-time.
• Validated the label-free monitoring concept with erythrocyte ghost cells.

Conclusions:

• UF-FETs provide a powerful platform for label-free, real-time single-cell tracking.
• The technique advances the study of cell dynamics and artificial membrane behavior.
• This approach bridges biological evaluation with bioelectronic readout for enhanced research.