An electroactive and thermo-responsive material for the capture and release of cells

Abstract

Non-invasive collection of target cells is crucial for research in biology and medicine. In this work, we combine a thermo-responsive material, poly(N-isopropylacrylamide), with an electroactive material, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiopene):poly(styrene sulfonate), to generate a smart and conductive copolymer for the label-free and non-invasive detection of the capture and release of cells on gold electrodes by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The copolymer is functionalized with fibronectin to capture tumor cells, and undergoes a conformational change in response to temperature, causing the release of cells. Simultaneously, the copolymer acts as a sensor, monitoring the capture and release of cancer cells by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. This platform has the potential to play a role in top-notch label-free electrical monitoring of human cells in clinical settings.Non-invasive collection of flowing cells such as Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs) (

3D Temperature-Controlled Interchangeable Pattern for Size-Selective Nanoparticle Capture

“…For effective cellular analysis, it is imperative to have techniques capable of selectively capturing cells from biological samples and subsequently releasing them as needed. Several highly efficient strategies have been devised, utilizing specially designed surfaces featuring temperature-sensitive PNIPAM. − While many established methods often use costly proteins to anchor cells to PNIPAM brushes due to the lack of specific interactions between cells and PNIPAM, our patterned PNIPAM offers an alternative. By adjusting the temperature, we can modulate an open-close action, enabling the reversible capture and release of particles from liquids.…”

Organic Bioelectronics for In Vitro Systems

“…A significant body of work on the suitability of bioelectronic devices for interfacing with biological systems has followed this application, and over the past decade a breadth of research projects have benefited from the continuous and noninvasive cell monitoring capabilities of such tools. , Of particular importance is the integration of OECTs with barrier tissues (e.g., intestinal, kidney, blood–brain barrier), for sensing their integrity, known to dramatically alter after assault. As ion flow is tightly regulated in these biological models, integration of OECTs with barrier forming tissues is particularly favored due to the high sensitivity and sufficient temporal resolution of these devices for monitoring biological ion flux .…”

Conducting Polymer‐ECM Scaffolds for Human Neuronal Cell Differentiation

“…Poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) is a widely studied CP, with high electrical and ionic conductivity [ 20 ] and chemical stability, [ 21 ] and has been employed for numerous in vivo and in vitro applications. [ 22 ] We recently engineered 3D macroporous electroactive scaffolds, based on PEDOT:PSS for in vitro TE studies [ 23,24 ] and organ‐on‐chip platforms that performed as excellent substrates for hosting 3D cultures of cells undergoing in situ differentiation. [ 25 ]…”

“…[16][17][18][19] Poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PE-DOT:PSS) is a widely studied CP, with high electrical and ionic conductivity [20] and chemical stability, [21] and has been employed for numerous in vivo and in vitro applications. [22] We recently engineered 3D macroporous electroactive scaffolds, based on PE-DOT:PSS for in vitro TE studies [23,24] and organ-on-chip platforms that performed as excellent substrates for hosting 3D cultures of cells undergoing in situ differentiation. [25] Despite their remarkable performance as tissue engineering substrates for 3D cell culture, CP scaffolds are often more rigid than biological tissues with some propensity to be brittle [6] and display sub-optimal mechanical robustness and stability.…”