Organic Electrochemical Transistor Array for Recording Transepithelial Ion Transport of Human Airway Epithelial Cells

Abstract

An organic electrochemical transistor array is integrated with human airway epithelial cells. This integration provides a novel method to couple transepithelial ion transport with electrical current. Activation and inhibition of transepithelial ion transport are readily detected with excellent time resolution. The organic electrochemical transistor array serves as a promising platform for physiological studies and drug testing.

3D conducting polymer platforms for electrical control of protein conformation and cellular functions

“…OECTs based on thin PEDOT:PSS films have recently been used as drug screening platforms, 28 for monitoring cell attachment and coverage, 29 for electrophysiological recordings of in vivo brain activity or electrocardiograms, 7,30 and for assessing tissue dysfunction upon exposure to toxins, 31 or pathogens. 32 A schematic demonstrating the layout of these OECTs and a photograph of typical devices are given in Figure 2a.…”

Flexible Organic Electronics in Biology: Materials and Devices

“…Although the biocompatibility of conducting polymers is influenced by a large number of factors, many types of these materials have been systematically investigated and demonstrate excellent biocompatibility in biological applications. For example, PEDOT have been electrochemically polymerized around neurons and maintained high cell viability; OECTs based on PEDOT:PSS have been successfully used as cell‐based biosensors . Several strategies have been proposed to improve the biocompatibility of conducting polymers:To functionalize the organic materials with biomolecules, including peptides, proteins, growth factors and polysaccharides, either by chemically covalent methods or physical entrapment;To explore the naturally occurring materials, including the indigo derivatives, carotenoid polyenes and hydrogen‐bonded analogues of linear acenes, as the active organic materials for bioelectronics.…”

Monitoring of cell layer coverage and differentiation with the organic electrochemical transistor

“…14,15 Specifically for biosensing, the OECT has been shown to be a very powerful transducer of biological signals, 16 due to a mixed ionic electronic conductivity, allowing direct conversion of ionic signals to electronic ones and vice versa, along with an improved biotic/abiotic interface. 15,17,18 We and others demonstrated that the OECT was sensitive to minute changes in barrier tissue integrity integrated on permeable membranes, after exposure to a variety of toxins, [19][20][21][22] and further, could be used to dynamically monitor infection of tissue by pathogens. 15,17,18 We and others demonstrated that the OECT was sensitive to minute changes in barrier tissue integrity integrated on permeable membranes, after exposure to a variety of toxins, [19][20][21][22] and further, could be used to dynamically monitor infection of tissue by pathogens.…”