Ges I.A., Baudenbacher F.J.
Vanderbilt University, US
Keywords: acidification rates, cardiomyocytes, microfluidic device, pH sensor
The possibility to investigate single cell metabolic activity in real time in sub-nanoliter volume could expand our knowledge of cellular physiological processes. Extracellular pH is a critical parameter for many cellular processes and extracellular acidification rates can be used to measure the metabolic activity of cells and to study the impact of chemicals and drugs on cell physiology. In this paper, studies of pH behavior of a single cardiomyocytes in a microfluidic system are presented. We describe a thin film pH sensor, designed to measure extracellular pH behavior, which is combined with stimulating microelectrodes and integrated within a picolitre microfluidic device. We developed simple and effective design of mechanical valve.These valves allowed us exclude the influence of liquid flux in channels of microfluidic device practically completely and to get reliable results of acidification rate measurements of single cardiac myocyte cells
Journal: TechConnect Briefs
Volume: 2, Technical Proceedings of the 2007 NSTI Nanotechnology Conference and Trade Show, Volume 2
Published: May 20, 2007
Pages: 210 - 213
Industry sector: Medical & Biotech
Topic: Diagnostics & Bioimaging
ISBN: 1-4200-6183-6