RTG 6

Biosensing and Bioelectronic Systems

Jaromír Hubálek (CEITEC), Janos Vörös (ETH), Ulrich Schmid (TUW)

Multielectrode array (MEA) is used for measurement of cell potential propagation among them similarly as it happens in the brain. These MEAs are used for in vitro and in vivo applications. Our research is focused on cardiomyocytes or neuron cells cultivation on the MEA chips for in vitro measurement. We use MEA fabricated on glass substrate on which we cultivate excitable cells that form interconnections. Their action potential can be measured via all electrodes at the same time. Electrodes can be also used to stimulate excitable cells, that means to send them signal and to observe its propagation among them.

The main problem to be solved is that neurons must be 2-4 weeks on MEA to form the interconnections between neurons. During this time, the cultivation medium slowly damages MEA surface and formed neuronal network is not always measurable. Long cultivation of neurons on MEA surface cause significant problem. Our research group focuses on overcoming this problem by fabricating thin nanoporous membranes where neurons are cultivated on separately from MEA. This allows us to place already formed neuronal network on MEA to measure field potentials and their propagation.