Effect of Cell Position on Impedance Measurement in Microfluidic Channel with Planar Microelectrodes and a Three-Pillar Structure

Abstract

Impedance analysis of single cells offers the possibility of obtaining accurate, reliable, and in-depth information about their pathological condition. In this work, we present the physical capture of a single cell using a microfluidic device with a three-pillar microstructure, impedance measurement using a set of planar microelectrodes, and the derivation of an electrical model that fits the experimental results. The relationship between impedance characteristics and the location of a single HeLa cell (human cervical epithelioid carcinoma) is investigated by impedance spectroscopy. When a single cell fell toward the electrodes after it has been trapped by the three-pillar microstructure, the impedance and the phase change are measured in an operating frequency range of 1 to 100 kHz. The equivalent circuit model is established and two elements that depend on cell location are used to investigate the impedance change of a single HeLa cell.

Analytical and Numerical Modeling Methods for Electrochemical Impedance Analysis of Single Cells on Coplanar Electrodes

“…The presence of a strong electric field opens the ionic channels of the cell membrane, allowing a greater amount of current to pass through the cell [33]. In the low-frequency measurement, the membrane is opaque to the electrical field, most of currents flow through the medium around the cell.…”