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

我们建议开发一种新的方法来创建生物电子电路，它将允许靶向和电连接活细胞膜上的特定分子，将细胞整合到更大的电路中。这种方法是基于一个pi最近报道的一项新技术（Science, 294, 1082, 2001），该技术允许直接从金属纳米颗粒悬浮液中组装长而导电的微线。通过电介质电泳、粒子迁移率和交变电场的相互作用组装微线。我们将设计在细腔和微流体通道中控制微线生长的技术，并将开发在电场中导致细胞界面的细胞和线操作的实验和理论工具。生物电子界面是纳米科学研究中一个很有前途但还不发达的领域。这个项目的成功可能会导致新的传感器的发展，在那里活细胞对不同毒素，生物或化学制剂的反应被更精确和敏感地检测到。它还可以帮助开发活组织（如神经元）细胞原位界面的工具。目前的技术要么让电池放在电极阵列的顶部，要么通过微电极刺穿它们。相比之下，我们将通过纳米粒子自组装完成细胞和电路之间的连接，这是一种潜在的更灵活、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.