Signal detecting sensor provided with multi-electrode

• US 20040167723A1
• Filed: 12/05/2003
• Published: 08/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation), The Ritsumeikan Trust (Ritsumei-Kan University Educational Association)
• Inventors: Konishi, Satoshi, Oka, Hiroaki, Ozaki, Nobuhiko, Sugihara, Hirokazu
• Granted Patent: US 7,006,929 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/31
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/48728 Investigating individual cells, e.g. by patch clamp, voltage clamp investigating individual particles in general G01N15/10

Abstract

A sensor capable of simply and quickly measuring the electrical activities of a number of cells simultaneously and a device comprising the sensor and capable of detecting the signal transmission between subject cells are provided. The sensor comprises a plurality of electrodes provided on a substrate. The electrodes individually measure a signal generated by a biological sample held by each of the electrodes. Each of the electrodes comprises a depression for holding the biological sample, a throughhole which is in communication with the depression and penetrates to a rear side of the substrate, an electrode portion, and a drawing line from the electrode portion. The electrodes are arranged so that the samples held by the depressions electrically communicate with one another.

Claims

1. A sensor, comprising a plurality of electrodes provided on a substrate, wherein the plurality of electrodes individually measure a signal generated by a biological sample held by each of the electrodes,

each of the electrodes comprises a depression for holding the biological sample, a throughhole which is in communication with the depression and penetrates to a rear side of the substrate, an electrode portion, and a drawing line from the electrode portion, and

the electrodes are arranged so that the samples held by the depressions electrically communicate with one another.

2. A sensor according to claim 1, wherein the signal is a signal which responds to a stimulus applied to the biological sample held by one of the plurality of electrodes.

3. A sensor according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of electrodes are arranged so that there is an interval of 20 μ

m between a center of each electrode.

4. A sensor according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is made of a material selected from the group consisting of silicon wafer, Teflon, polystyrene, polycarbonate, polyethyleneterephthalate, polyimide, acrylic, silicone rubber, PMDS and elastomer.

5. A sensor according to claim 1, wherein the electrode portion is made of a material selected from the group consisting of gold, platinum, silver chloride, and silver.

6. A sensor according to claim 1, wherein the depression for holding the biological sample has a depth of 1 to 10 μ

m and an opening portion diameter of 10 to 50 μ

m, and the throughhole has a diameter of 2 to 10 μ

m.

7. A sensor according to claim 1, wherein the biological sample is a neuron, the neurons held by the electrodes reconstruct a neural cell network in accordance with the arrangement of the plurality of electrodes.

8. A sensor according to claim 2, wherein the stimulus is applied via the electrode portion of at least one of the plurality of electrodes.

9. A sensor according to claim 1, further comprising a counter electrode with respect to the electrode, wherein when the biological sample is a neuron, a membrane potential of the neuron can be fixed.

10. A sensor according to claim 7, further comprising a reference electrode.

11. A sensor according to claim 10, wherein the reference electrode is a ring-like electrode having a diameter of 100 to 10000 μ

m which is made of a ribbon-like member having a line width of 1 to 1000 μ

m.

12. A sensor according to claim 1, wherein the electrode portion and the drawing line are patterned on the rear side of the substrate and are drawn to a periphery of the substrate.

13. A sensor according to claim 1, further comprising a means for holding the biological samples within the plurality of electrodes where the biological sample is tightly attached to the electrode.

14. A sensor according to claim 13, wherein the means for holding the biological sample is a suctioning line.

15. A sensor according to claim 14, comprising a means for controlling the means for holding the biological sample.

16. An intercellular network analyzing apparatus, comprising:

a sensor according to claim 1;

a cell accommodating means provided on the sensor;

a means for maintaining the sensor having the cell accommodating means in cell growth conditions;

a means for holding the sample on each electrode of the sensor where the sample is tightly attached to the electrode;

a means for obtaining an electrical signal from each electrode of the sensor; and

a means for processing the electrical signal.

17. A high-speed drug screening apparatus, comprising:

a sensor according to claim 1;

a cell accommodating means provided on the sensor;

a means for maintaining the sensor having the cell accommodating means in cell growth conditions;

a means for moving the sensor having the cell accommodating means;

a means for holding the sample on each electrode of the sensor where the sample is tightly attached to the electrode;

a means for obtaining an electrical signal from each electrode of the sensor; and

a means for processing the electrical signal.