help button home button Biophys. J.
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Braun, D.
Right arrow Articles by Fromherz, P.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Braun, D.
Right arrow Articles by Fromherz, P.
Biophysical Journal 87:1351-1359 (2004)
© 2004 The Biophysical Society

Imaging Neuronal Seal Resistance on Silicon Chip using Fluorescent Voltage-Sensitive Dye

Dieter Braun and Peter Fromherz

Department of Membrane and Neurophysics, Max Planck Institute for Biochemistry, Martinsried/Munich, Germany

Correspondence: Address reprint requests to Peter Fromherz, Dept. of Membrane and Neurophysics, Max Planck Institute for Biochemistry, Martinsried/Munich, Germany 82152. E-mail: fromherz{at}biochem.mpg.de.

The electrical sheet resistance between living cells grown on planar electronic contacts of semiconductors or metals is a crucial parameter for bioelectronic devices. It determines the strength of electrical signal transduction from cells to chips and from chips to cells. We measured the sheet resistance by applying AC voltage to oxidized silicon chips and by imaging the voltage change across the attached cell membrane with a fluorescent voltage-sensitive dye. The phase map of voltage change was fitted with a planar core-coat conductor model using the sheet resistance as a free parameter. For nerve cells from rat brain on polylysine as well as for HEK293 cells and MDCK cells on fibronectin we find a similar sheet resistance of 10 M{Omega}. Taking into account the independently measured distance of 50 nm between chip and membrane for these cells, we obtain a specific resistance of 50 {Omega}cm that is indistinguishable from bulk electrolyte. On the other hand, the sheet resistance for erythrocytes on polylysine is far higher, at ~1.5 G{Omega}. Considering the distance of 10 nm, the specific resistance in the narrow cleft is enhanced to 1500 {Omega}cm. We find this novel optical method to be a convenient tool to optimize the interface between cells and chips for bioelectronic devices.




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 J. Neurophysiol.Home page
I. Schoen and P. Fromherz
Extracellular Stimulation of Mammalian Neurons Through Repetitive Activation of Na+ Channels by Weak Capacitive Currents on a Silicon Chip
J Neurophysiol, July 1, 2008; 100(1): 346 - 357.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Biophys. JHome page
I. Schoen and P. Fromherz
The Mechanism of Extracellular Stimulation of Nerve Cells on an Electrolyte-Oxide-Semiconductor Capacitor
Biophys. J., February 1, 2007; 92(3): 1096 - 1111.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Biophys. JHome page
R. Gleixner and P. Fromherz
The Extracellular Electrical Resistivity in Cell Adhesion
Biophys. J., April 1, 2006; 90(7): 2600 - 2611.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 2004 by the Biophysical Society.