Impedimetric Characterization of Bioelectronic Nano-Antennae

Abstract

<jats:p>&lt;p&gt;The merging of electronics with biology at the nanoscale holds considerable promise for sensing and modulating cellular behavior. Advancing our understanding of nano-bioelectronics will facilitate development and enable applications in biosensing, tissue engineering and bioelectronic medicine. However, studies investigating the electrical effects when merging wireless conductive nanoelectrodes with biology are lacking. Consequently, a new tool is required to develop a greater understanding of the bioelectrical effects of merging conductive nanoparticles with biology. Herein, this challenge is addressed by developing an impedimetric method to evaluate bipolar electrochemical systems (BESs) that could act as nano-antennas. A theoretical framework is provided, using impedance to determine if conductive nanoparticles can be polarized and used to drive current. It is then demonstrated that 125 nm Au nanoparticle bipolar electrodes (BPEs) could be sensed with biology when incorporated extracellularly. These results highlight how nanoscale BPEs act in biology and characterize their behavior in electric fields. This research will impact on the rational design of using BPE systems in biology for both sensing and actuating applications.&lt;/p&gt;</jats:p>

Toward Hijacking Bioelectricity in Cancer to Develop New Bioelectronic Medicine

“…In view of that, we demonstrated that biocompatible and conductive gold nanoparticles under external electrical input can be used as electrical transducers to not only sense but also to modulate chemistry inside cells. [ 240,241 ] However, to alter the electrical behavior in cancer cells, ideally, we need devices that not only sense the electrical state of the cells, but which can also actuate it. Moreover, due to the inherent three dimensionalities of biological systems, we are also likely to require new manufacturing capabilities for 3D bioelectronics.…”

Electric Field Induced Biomimetic Transmembrane Electron Transport Using Carbon Nanotube Porins

“…Even in light of these observations more work is needed to understand the exact relationship of capacitance at the nanoscale of BPEs in biology which we have begun to address. [ 41 ] However, we do show that nano‐BPEs could be polarized at low, biocompatible voltages and we could modulate electron transfer across biological membranes and effect a change on membrane potential.…”

Toward nanobioelectronic medicine: Unlocking new applications using nanotechnology

“…Redox state of water soluble AuNPs modified porphyrin groups was modified intracellularly under the application of electrical potentials (Sanjuan‐Alberte et al, 2019). With further optimization, possibly through the use of AC currents, and understanding of how this phenomena performs at the nanoscale, it may be possible to develop tools with the ability to modulate chemistry inside cells under external electric fields (A. Robinson et al, 2020).…”