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Detection platforms for studying the dynamics of cellular processes

Seminar by Jenny Emnéus, The Bioanalytics group, BIOMICS section, Technical University of Denmark.

Abstract
A biological cell is a truly living entity that responds to changes in its environment and tends to change its surroundings, a principal difference from biological recognition elements such as enzymes and antibodies that are "passive" molecules with little difference from manmade sensing materials. Micro analytical work on especially mammalian cells needs to solve several challenges, e.g. biocompatibility/possible toxicity of fabrication materials, supply of nutrients and oxygen, removal of waste products, and controlled temperature while maintaining a sterile environment. Moreover, cells must be treated without inducing any stress related change in metabolic activity that can lead to unreliable data interpretation.

The information hidden inside a cell does not normally allow ordinary analytical techniques to
be used without disrupting the cell membrane and thus the intracellular environment. Here we
present our research towards developing a combined microfluidic cell culturing and multi-parameter detection platform for the purpose of non-destructive real time studies of the dynamics of cellular processes (cell growth and differentiation, intracellular redox reactions, metabolite secretion), using electroanalytical and optical detection strategies.