AVS 52nd International Symposium
    Applied Surface Science Tuesday Sessions
       Session AS+BI-TuM

Paper AS+BI-TuM8
Microelectronic Multielectrode Interface for Evaluation of Living Cells

Tuesday, November 1, 2005, 10:40 am, Room 206

Session: Surface Characterization of Organic and Biological Systems
Presenter: H.D. Wanzenboeck, Vienna University of Technology, Austria
Authors: H.D. Wanzenboeck, Vienna University of Technology, Austria
P. Hagl, Vienna University of Technology, Austria
K. Dominizi, Vienna University of Technology, Austria
E. Bertagnolli, Vienna University of Technology, Austria
E. Bogner, University Vienna, Austria
M. Wirth, University Vienna, Austria
F. Gabor, University Vienna, Austria
Correspondent: Click to Email
*****PLEASE NOTE: YOU MUST IDENTIFY A DIFFERENT PRESENTER FOR THIS ABSTRACT. YOU MAY ONLY PRESENT ONE (1) PAPER AT THE CONFERENCE.*****Tests on living cells are crucial in biomedical research, biotechnology , pharmacological diagnostics and medicine, but applied methods are often labor-intensive. Microelectronic technology has available sensitive techniques for automatized, continuous measurement and data interpretation. These advantages are not made use of due to the complex nature of the interface between the biological and microelectronic world. This work describes the fabrication and fundamental application of a functionalized biomaterial interface. For an interface to biological substances the choice of suitable substrate materials is decisive. A biological layer of human ephitelial cells (Caco-2) was grown in-vitro on the interface. The biocompatibility of inorganic and organic materials typically used in microelectronics was exploited. Metals, dielectrics and semiconductors were evaluated qualitatively by optical imaging and by scanning electron microscopy at variable pressure. A quantitative evaluation was performed with biochemical tests on cell proliferation and differentiation. Fundamental aspects of bio-interface engineering are investigated by interface analysis methods. In a second step 3-dimensionally patterned surfaces were explored as interface to the biological world. By microstructuring a miniaturisation of typical structures in the range of 20 µm down to 1 µm - smaller than the diameter of a living Caco2 cell - was performed. A functional microelectrode array proved to be an excellent bio-interface to living cells. The growth and behaviour of a Caco-2 cell layer on this array of multiple microelectrodes was studied by optical and electrical measurements. The electrical measurement through a single Caco-2 cell was recorded as impedance spectrum. The results contribute to the further understanding of the interactions between living cells and microelectronic biosensors. This work provides fundamentals to unite microelectronic engineering with in-vitro biological studies.