AVS 50th International Symposium
    Biomaterial Interfaces Tuesday Sessions
       Session BI-TuP

Paper BI-TuP19
Cell-Based Biosensors - A Tool for High Throughput Toxin Detection

Tuesday, November 4, 2003, 5:30 pm, Room Hall A-C

Session: Poster Session
Presenter: K. Varghese, Clemson University
Authors: K. Varghese, Clemson University
A. Jamshidi, Clemson University
K. Sieverdes, Clemson University
P. Molnar, Clemson University
M. Das, Clemson University
C.A. Gregory, Clemson University
J.J. Hickman, Clemson University
Correspondent: Click to Email
Cell-based biosensors incorporate a cellular sensing element that detects a change in the cells immediate environment and converts the cellular signal with an electrical impulse that is conducive for integration to a silicon environment. Cell-based electrophysiology can be broadly divided into two categories - those based on intracellular potentials (eg. using glass microelectrodes as in patch clamping) and those based on extracellular potentials. Our research focuses on the latter, wherein extracellular microelectrode arrays are used as a noninvasive and long-term approach for the measurement of biopotentials. The objective of this study is to culture cardiac myocytes on Metal Microelectrode Arrays (MEAs) and Field Effect Transistors (FETs) and test them upon exposure to various toxins. The culture conditions (serum vs serum free), were also investigated to compare and contrast the results obtained therein. In the first and present part of this study, cardiac myocytes from Day 6 chicken embryos were cultured on MEAs and tested for their response to different concentrations of Cadmium Chloride and Cesium Chloride, which are known environmental toxins. Studies also were carried out to study the effect of various adhesive surfaces on the health and response of these cardiac myocytes. DETA, fibronectin and Entactin-Collagen-Laminin (ECL) matrix were the surfaces studied. Preliminary results have shown a healthier monolayer and higher beat frequency with serum free conditions. In the comparative study between different surfaces, best results have been obtained on DETA for beat frequency.