Low cost fabrication of microelectrode arrays for cell-based biosensors and drug discovery methods
First Claim
1. A method of fabricating a plurality of microelectrode array (MEA) devices simultaneously, each MEA device having a MEA and at least one sensor, said method comprising:
- providing a substrate; and
simultaneously defining a plurality of MEAs and sensors on said substrate utilizing a selected printed circuit board (PCB) fabrication process;
wherein said substrate is characterized as flexible or rigid; and
wherein said device is useful for biological applications including recording of electrically active cell cultures, stimulation of electrically active and non-active cell cultures, and impedance measurement of electrically active and non-active cell cultures.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for making a plurality of low-cost microelectrode arrays (MEAs) on one substrate utilizing certain unmodified printed circuit board (PCB) fabrication processes and selected materials. In some embodiments, a MEA device is composed of a thin polymer substrate containing patterned conductive traces. Coverlays on both sides of the substrate insulate the conductive traces and defines the electrodes. Preferably, flexible PCB technology is utilized to simultaneously define the microelectrode arrays. In an embodiment, the sensor is an integrated temperature sensor/heater in which the MEA device operates to record extracellular electrical signals from electrically active cell cultures. The present invention enables economical and efficient mass production of MEA devices, making them particularly suitable for disposable applications such as drug discovery, biosensors, etc.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method of fabricating a plurality of microelectrode array (MEA) devices simultaneously, each MEA device having a MEA and at least one sensor, said method comprising:
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providing a substrate; and
simultaneously defining a plurality of MEAs and sensors on said substrate utilizing a selected printed circuit board (PCB) fabrication process;
whereinsaid substrate is characterized as flexible or rigid; and
whereinsaid device is useful for biological applications including recording of electrically active cell cultures, stimulation of electrically active and non-active cell cultures, and impedance measurement of electrically active and non-active cell cultures. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification