Electrochemically stimulating developments in bioelectronic medicine

Abstract

Cellular homeostasis is in part controlled by biological generated electrical activity. By interfacing biology with electronic devices this electrical activity can be modulated to actuate cellular behaviour. There are current limitations in merging electronics with biology sufficiently well to target and sense specific electrically active components of cells. By addressing this limitation, researchers give rise to new capabilities for facilitating the two-way transduction signalling mechanisms between the electronic and cellular components. This is required to allow significant advancement of bioelectronic technology which offers new ways of treating and diagnosing diseases. Most of the progress that has been achieved to date in developing bioelectronic therapeutics stimulate neural communication, which ultimately orchestrates organ function back to a healthy state. Some devices used in therapeutics include cochlear and retinal implants and vagus nerve stimulators. However, all cells can be impacted by electrical inputs which gives rise to the opportunity to broaden the use of bioelectronic medicine for treating disease. Electronic actuation of non-excitable cells has been shown to lead to 'programmed' cell behaviour via application of electronic input which alter key biological processes. A neglected form of cellular electrical communication which has not yet been considered when developing bioelectronic therapeutics is faradaic currents. These are generated during redox reactions. A precedent of electrochemical technology being used to modulate these reactions, thereby controlling cell behaviour, has already been set. In this mini review we highlight the current state of the art of electronic routes to modulating cell behaviour and identify new ways in which electrochemistry could be used to contribute to the new field of bioelectronic medicine.

Wireless Nanobioelectronics for Electrical Intracellular Sensing

“…This was achieved by imaging the electrical surface charge via plasmonic effects on the gold nanoparticles. (3) We then took gold nanoparticles modified with a Zn(II)meso-tetrakis(4-carboxylateyphenyl)porphyrin sodium salt (Na-ZnTCPP), which were fluorescent. These particles were incubated with Chinese Hamster Overy (CHO) cells and were taken up inside.…”

Design of highly stabilized nanocomposite inks based on biodegradable polymer-matrix and gold nanoparticles for Inkjet Printing

“…However, one of the most explored applications of AuNP systems is their use in nanometallic sensors 20–23 , for instance, the colorimetric sensors to analyze food in bromatology. They also show great potential in areas such as electronics or nanobioelectronics 24,25 , owing to their potential to form low resistanse conductor patterns. Taking advantage of this property, AuNP systems have been applied for electrical and electrochemical sensing 22 .…”

Bioelectronic Medicine: From Preclinical Studies on the Inflammatory Reflex to New Approaches in Disease Diagnosis and Treatment

“…These studies use methodological advances in material science, bioengineering, neuroscience, data analytics, computer modeling and mathematics, immunology, molecular biology, and other disciplines ( Fig. 3; Bettinger 2018; Giagka and Serdijn 2018;Guduru et al 2018;Kovatchev 2018;Qing et al 2018;Sanjuan-Alberte et al 2018;Silverman et al 2018;Pavlov and Tracey 2019). Applying multidisciplinary approaches has been instrumental in discovering new molecular mechanisms of CNS and peripheral neural regulation, and identifying new therapeutic targets (Fig.…”

“…These insights and advancing bioelectronic technology have led to clinical exploration of novel treatments of cardiovascular disease, paralysis, diabetes, blindness, neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, and many other diseases and conditions ( Fig. 3; Merabet et al 2005;Fregni and Pascual-Leone 2007;De Ferrari et al 2011;Lee et al 2015Lee et al , 2018Bouton et al 2016;Mishra et al 2016;Olofsson and Tracey 2017;Angeli et al 2018;Fernandez 2018;Kovatchev 2018;Salehpour et al 2018;Sanjuan-Alberte et al 2018). Successful team efforts of basic researchers and clinical scientists, including neurologists, gastroenterologists, cardiologists, and other colleagues will continue to be a driving force for broadening the scope of the field and novel clinical exploration (Fig.…”