Electrical wounding assay for cells in vitro

• US 20020182591A1
• Filed: 06/05/2002
• Published: 12/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied BioPhysics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Applied BioPhysics, Inc.
• Inventors: Keese, Charles R., Giaever, Ivar
• Granted Patent: US 7,332,313 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/4
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/5005 involving human or animal cells immunoassay G01N33/56966; immunoassays of protozoa G01N33/56905; protozoa in screening assays C12Q1/025

Abstract

A method and system for electrically wounding and/or monitoring cell activity in vitro. The invention comprises methods and systems for wounding and/or monitoring cells that place a cell culture on a well that has an exposed electrode. The cell culture can then be wounded and/or monitored using the electrode.

Claims

1. A method of wounding and monitoring cells, comprising:

placing a cell culture in a holding device having at least one well for holding the cell culture, the at least one well having at least one exposed electrode that contacts the cell culture;

wounding the cell culture in an area proximate to the at least one electrode; and

monitoring the cell culture using the at least one electrode, wherein the cell culture remains isolated during the wounding and monitoring steps.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring step includes measuring at least one electrical characteristic between the at least one electrode and a proximately located counter electrode.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one electrical characteristic is selected from the group consisting of:

a voltage, a phase, a capacitance, a resistance, and an impedance.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the wounding step uses at least one of the group consisting of:

an electrical current, and a laser.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the electrical current comprises one of a group consisting of a direct current pulse and an alternating current pulse.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the wounding step passes the electrical current through the at least one electrode.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the wounding step uses a cytotoxic agent.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising flowing a fluid over at least one well.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one electrode comprises a non-circular shape and wherein an orientation of the at least one electrode relative to the fluid flow comprises one of the group consisting of:

parallel and orthogonal.

10. A system for processing a cell culture, comprising:

a holding device for maintaining an uninterrupted environment during a wounding and monitoring process, wherein the holding device has at least one well for holding a cell culture, and wherein the at least one well has at least one exposed electrode that contacts the cell culture;

a wounding module for wounding the cell culture while the cell culture is in the holding device in an area proximate the at least one electrode; and

a monitoring module for monitoring the cell culture while the cell culture is in the holding device.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one electrode comprises one of the group consisting of:

gold, silver, platinum, indium-tin oxide, platinum black, and a conducting polymer.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the monitoring module uses the at least one electrode.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the monitoring module measures at least one electrical characteristic between the at least one electrode and a proximately located counter electrode.

14. The system of claim 10, further comprising a computer for controlling the apparatus, the computer including a processor, and an I/O.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the computer further includes a memory, and wherein the memory contains a software program, the software program including a monitor controller for controlling the operation of the monitoring module.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the computer further includes a memory, and wherein the memory contains a software program, the software program including a wound controller for controlling the operation of the wounding module.

17. The system of claim 10, further comprising a flow module for flowing a fluid over at least one well.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the flow module includes a variable speed peristaltic pump for generating the fluid flow.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the apparatus further includes a monitoring module for monitoring the cell culture using the at least one electrode, and wherein the software program further includes a monitor controller for controlling the operation of the monitoring module.

21. The system of claim 19, further comprising a flow module for flowing a fluid over at least one well.

19. A system for wounding a cell culture, comprising:

a holding device having at least one well for holding the cell culture, the at least one well having at least one exposed electrode that contacts the cell culture;

a wounding module for wounding the cell culture using the at least one electrode; and

a computer for controlling the wounding module, including;

a processor;

an I/O; and

a memory including a software program, the software program including a wound controller for controlling the operation of the wounding module.