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Towards the realization of label-free biosensors through impedance spectroscopy integrated with IDES technology

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An Erratum to this article was published on 24 January 2012

Abstract

Impedance spectroscopy (IS) is a powerful technique for analysis of the complex electrical impedance of a large variety of biological systems, because it is sensitive both to surface phenomena and to changes of bulk properties. A simple and convenient method of analysis of cell properties by IS is described. An interdigitated electrodes configuration was used for the measurements; human epithelial cells were grown on the device to investigate the complex dielectric response as a function of frequency, in order to test the suitability of the device for use as a label-free biosensor. To test the ability of the device to detect channels in the cell membrane, the effect of drugs known to affect membrane integrity was also investigated. The frequency response of the admittance (i.e. the reciprocal of the impedance) can be well fitted by a model based on very simple assumptions about the cells coating the device surface and the current flow; from the calculations, membrane-specific capacitance and information about cell adhesion can be inferred. These preliminary efforts have shown that our configuration could lead to a label-free non-invasive technique for biosensing and cellular behavior monitoring which might prove useful in investigation of the basic properties of cells and the effect of drugs by estimation of some fundamental properties and modification of the electrical characteristics of the device.

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Acknowledgments

This work was partially supported by a grant from the Department of Health Sciences, University of Molise. Financial support from the regional projects MEDIREN “Innovative methods and devices for the detection of electrophysiology parameters from neuronal cells and tissues” is gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Health Sciences Department, University of Molise, Campobasso, Italy

    R. Di Capua, D. Viggiano, P. Ambrosino, M. V. Soldovieri & M. Tagliatela

  2. CNR-SPIN and Department of Physical Science, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy

    R. Di Capua, M. Barra, F. Santoro & A. Cassinese

Authors
  1. R. Di Capua
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  2. M. Barra
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  3. F. Santoro
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  4. D. Viggiano
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  5. P. Ambrosino
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  6. M. V. Soldovieri
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  7. M. Tagliatela
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  8. A. Cassinese
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to R. Di Capua.

Additional information

An erratum to this article can be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00249-012-0788-6.

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Di Capua, R., Barra, M., Santoro, F. et al. Towards the realization of label-free biosensors through impedance spectroscopy integrated with IDES technology. Eur Biophys J 41, 249–256 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00249-011-0782-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00249-011-0782-4

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