Design and implementation of a novel superfusion system forex vivocharacterization of neural tissue by dielectric spectroscopy (DS)

Abstract

Dielectric spectroscopy is a widely utilized electrophysiological characterization method. The obtained dielectric spectra and derived properties have the potential of providing significant information regarding changes in the physiological state of a biological system. However, since many of the dielectric properties are obtained in vitro from excised tissue far removed from physiological conditions, the value of the information obtained may be diminished. In this paper, we introduce a superfusion system that is designed to produce ex vivo dielectric spectroscopy measurements by providing the living tissue with a continuous and ample supply of nutrients and oxygen while removing metabolites and other waste. This superfusion system provides the convenience of in vitro measurement while concurrently producing results that can be more closely correlated with actual physiological changes in the biological system.

Extracellular fluid conductivity analysis by dielectric spectroscopy forin vitrodetermination of cortical tissue vitality

“…Dielectric spectroscopy, which has previously been shown to successfully probe the conductivity of polyelectrolyte solutions (Bordi et al 2004), was utilized to measure the complex conductivity of each solution sample. The electrode system has been previously described (Dobiszewski et al 2011) and shown to successfully measure conductivity. Briefly, the electrode system consisted of two 14 karat gold electrodes held parallel to one another at a precise distance apart.…”