Dielectric spectroscopy of mammalian cells

Abstract

Low-frequency dielectric spectroscopy has been used in situ, i.e. while the cells are still attached to their microsupport, to monitor the changes of biomass accompanying the growth of anchorage-dependent cells. This method, when compared to Aperture Impedance Pulse Spectroscopy (also called electronic sizing), is characterized by a somewhat lower degree of resolution. Suggestions are made on how to determine the capacitance of the spent growth medium alone, still keeping the probe inserted in the bioreactor. This will make dielectric spectroscopy the first truly in situ, on-line, in real time, non-invasive measure of the biomass.

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“…Thus, dead or leaking cells are not captured by this technology [103]. Additionally, the capacitance signal is reported to be insensitive to gas bubbles and microcarriers facilitating the monitoring of cell culture processes in common sparged as well as fixed bed bioreactors [102,104,105]. However, very high volume fractions of non-biomass materials close to the sensor may influence the capacitance signal since the polarizable cells are replaced by non-polarizable materials [102].…”