Skip to main content
Advertisement
Browse Subject Areas
?

Click through the PLOS taxonomy to find articles in your field.

For more information about PLOS Subject Areas, click here.

< Back to Article

A Glucose BioFuel Cell Implanted in Rats

Figure 1

Summary of the principle, preparation, implantation and operation of an implantable “Quinone-Ubiquinone Glucose BioFuel Cell”.

(A) GBFC principle. The anode is constituted of a compacted graphite disc containing ubiquinone, glucose oxidase (GOX) and catalase, while the cathode is composed of a compacted graphite disc containing quinhydrone and polyphenol oxidase (PPO). The cathode is inserted in a dialysis bag (cut-off 100 g mol−1), in order to prevent quinhydrone diffusion. Both electrodes are packed in an external dialysis bag (cut-off 6-8000 g mol−1) that lets glucose and dioxygen flow into the device. The current generated by the GBFC results from the oxidation of ubiquinol combined with the reduction of quinone. Ubiquinol and quinone are enzymatically generated by GOX and PPO respectively. (B) GBFC preparation and implantation. Each electrode measures 0.133 mL, so that the complete device can fit in the abdomen of the animal. The rat is anesthetized, a median laparotomy is performed, and the GBFC is inserted into the retroperitoneal space in left lateral position. The catheters containing the copper wires connected to the anode and cathode are subcutaneously tunnelled from the abdomen up to the back of the head of the animal, and connected to the potentiostat. Finally, the muscular abdominal wall and the skin are separately sutured and the animal is allowed to recover from anesthesia. (C) GBFC operation. 4 hours after implantation, cycles of discharge (at constant current of 10 µA) and of charge are recorded via a potentiostat until sacrifice of the animal.

Figure 1

doi: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0010476.g001