Biosystem for the culture and characterisation of epithelial cell tissues

Abstract

We have designed and realised a new type of microsystem for the electrical characterisation of epithelial cell layers for biomedical diagnostic purposes. Miniaturised cell culture devices have been realised by gluing nano-porous polycarbonate membranes in between two structured silicon or glass wafers and by assembling glass wafers to provide integrated micro-fluidic channels. We have used deep plasma etching, wet etching procedures and powder-blasting, for the fabrication of vial and micro-fluidic channels in silicon and glass substrates. We have demonstrated epithelial cell layer growth within our microsystem and have characterised its electrical behaviour using two and four point impedance measurements. We believe that our devices will open new perspectives for cell based diagnostic applications, especially for those where available cell quantities pose a limiting factor.