A portable standalone wireless electric cell-substrate impedance sensing (ECIS) system for assessing dynamic behavior of mammalian cells

In this study, we have developed a wireless, portable, standalone, and simple electric cell-substrate impedance sensing (ECIS) system to analyze in-depth functional aspects of cellular functions on the surface of a co-planar metal electrode coated on conventional glass substrate using a low-cost circuitry and correlated it with an equivalent electrical circuit (EEC) model. Low-cost circuitry was used for studying the dynamic behavior of the mouse myoblast cells (C2C12) in a culture chamber. Further, the developed ECIS system was connected with 8-bit Arduino UNO microcontroller board for establishing a compact sized measuring unit, which can be placed inside a CO2 incubator to provide proper environmental condition for the biological cells during the entire measuring time. Integrating ZigBee RF module with the 8-bit Arduino UNO microcontroller board provides a wireless communication network. Theoretical calculation of the lumped-elemental electrical parameters associated with cell-electrolyte interface and metal-electrolyte interface was calculated. The calculation was performed by fitting the experimental impedance data to EEC model using least mean square method to determine the dynamic and vital functions of the mammalian cells such as proliferation (in real-time) with a change in intrinsic electrical parameters associated at any particular time point. Impedance measurements and the lumped-elemental electrical parameter were correlated with the respective microscopic images. The developed ECIS system was found to enable measuring of the extent of cellular proliferation over time. The compactness of the developed ECIS system integrated with the ZigBee RF module and the 8-bit Arduino UNO microcontroller board facilitates its utilization even when placed in the CO2 incubator for a prolonged time.