Perforated CMOS microchip platform for immobilization and activity monitoring of electrogenic cells

A unique combination of micromachining and CMOS microelectronics for physical cell immobilization and subsequent electrical activity recording is presented: Electrogenie cells are placed onto electrode arrays by pneumatic anchoring on perforated metal electrodes. After several days in culture, the electrical activity of the cells is measured after amplification by on-chip circuitry. This paper describes the fabrication of the bio-electronic chip, the electrical characterization of the circuitry, the culturing, and the recording of the electric signals of cardiomyocytes after several days in culture.