The fabrication and characterization of a micro- chamber electrode array for electrical and electrochemical studies of individual biological cells are presented. The geometry was tailored specifically for measurements from sensory hair cells isolated from the cochlea of the mammalian inner ear. Conventional micro- electromechanical system (MEMS) fabrication techniques were combined with a heat-sealing technique and polydimethylsiloxane micromolding to achieve a multilayered microfluidic system that facilitates cell manipulation and selection. The system allowed for electrical stimulation of individual living cells and interrogation of excitable cell membrane dielectric properties as a function of space and time. A three-electrode impedimetric system was incorporated to provide the additional ability to record the time-dependent concentrations of specific biochemicals in microdomain volumes near identified regions of the cell membrane. The design and fabrication of a robust fluidic and electrical interface are also described. The interface provided the flexibility and simplicity of a "cartridge- based" approach in connecting to the MEMS devices. Cytometric measurement capabilities were characterized by using electric impedance spectroscopy (1 kHz-10 MHz) of isolated outer hair cells. Chemical sensing capability within the microchannel recording chamber was characterized by using cyclic voltammetry with varying concentrations of potassium ferricyanide (K3Fe(CN)6). Chronoamperometric recordings of electrically stimulated PC12 cells highlight the ability of the platform to resolve exocytosis events from individual cells.

中文翻译：

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用于单细胞电阻抗谱和电化学分析的多层 MEMS 平台

介绍了用于单个生物细胞的电学和电化学研究的微室电极阵列的制造和表征。几何形状是专门为从哺乳动物内耳耳蜗中分离出的感觉毛细胞进行测量而定制的。传统的微机电系统 (MEMS) 制造技术与热封技术和聚二甲基硅氧烷微成型相结合，以实现促进细胞操作和选择的多层微流体系统。该系统允许对单个活细胞进行电刺激并询问作为空间和时间函数的可兴奋细胞膜介电特性。并入了三电极阻抗测量系统，以提供额外的能力来记录细胞膜识别区域附近微域体积中特定生化物质的时间依赖性浓度。还描述了坚固的流体和电气接口的设计和制造。该接口在连接到 MEMS 设备时提供了“基于墨盒”方法的灵活性和简单性。细胞计量测量能力的特点是使用分离的外毛细胞的电阻抗谱 (1 kHz-10 MHz)。微通道记录室内的化学传感能力的特点是使用循环伏安法和不同浓度的铁氰化钾 (K3Fe(CN)6)。