NER: Bioelectronic Interfacing of Living Cells via Self-Assembled Microwires

通过自组装微丝进行活细胞的生物电子连接我们建议开发一种新的方法来创建生物电子电路，这种方法将允许靶向和电连接活细胞膜上的特定分子，将细胞合并到更大的电路中。这种方法基于最近由PI之一(Science，294,1082,2001)报告的一项新技术，该技术允许直接从金属纳米颗粒悬浮液组装长的导电微线。微丝的组装是通过介电、粒子迁移率和交变电场中的相互作用来实现的。我们将设计在细室和微流体通道中控制微线生长的技术，并将开发导致细胞接口的电场中细胞和线条操纵的实验和理论工具。生物电子接口是纳米科学研究的一个很有前途但还不发达的领域。该项目的成功可能会导致开发新的传感器，从而以更高的精度和灵敏度检测活细胞对不同毒素、生物或化学制剂的反应。它还有助于开发活组织(如神经元)中细胞的原位接口工具。目前的技术要么让电池位于电极阵列的顶部，要么通过微电极将它们刺穿。相比之下，我们将通过纳米颗粒自组装来完成电池和电路之间的连接，这可能是一种更灵活、更强大的方法。

Bioelectronic interfacing of living cells via self-assembled microwires We propose to develop a new method for creating bioelectronic circuits that will allow targeting and electrically interfacing specific molecules on the membrane of living cells, incorporating the cells into larger electrical circuits. This method is based on a new technique reported recently by one of the PIs (Science, 294, 1082, 2001) that allows the assembly of long, electrically conductive microwires directly from suspensions of metallic nanoparticles. The microwires are assembled via dielectrophoresis, the particle mobility and interactions in alternating electric field. We will devise techniques for controlled growth of microwires in thin chambers and microfluidic channels, and will develop experimental and theoretical tools for cell and wire manipulation in the electrical field leading to cell interfacing. Bioelectronic interfacing is one of the promising, yet underdeveloped, areas of nanoscience research. The success of this project could lead to development of new sensors, where the response of living cells to different toxins, biological or chemical agents is detected with greater precision and sensitivity. It can also help in developing tools for in situ interfacing of cells in living tissues (such as neurons). Current techniques either let the cells sit on top of electrode arrays or impale them via microelectrodes. In contrast, we will complete the connection between the cells and the electrical circuits via nanoparticle self-assembly, a potentially much more flexible and powerful approach.