A Cell Electroporation Characterization Chip Using a Single Tapered Channel for Continuous Electric Field Variation

A Cell Electroporation Characterization Chip Using a Single Tapered Channel for Continuous Electric Field Variation

This paper presents a cell electroporationcharacterization chip using a single tapered channelfor a continuous gradient of electric fields. In the cellelectroporation study, it is required to find the optimalelectric field strength for obtaining the maximum num-ber of both viable and electroporated cells possible. The previous electroporation chip with a single step-wise channel generated a limited number of electricfields. However, the present chip, where continuouselectric fields (0.3-0.5 kV/cm) are generated by a pairof external electrodes across a tapered single channel,provides a more finely tuned electric field for stablecell electroporation with high viability. In the experi-mental study, we characterize H23 non-small-cell lungcancer (NSCLC) cells. In the previous electroporationchip, the percentages of viable electroporated H23 cellswere 51.4% and 44.5% at 0.4 and 0.45 kV/cm, respec-tively. The present chip was measured to have an elec-tric field of 0.44 kV/cm with a maximum percentageof viable electroporated cells of 54.7?4.8%. The pre-sent cell electroporation characterization chip has po-tential for use in integrated cell chips to find fine opti-mal electric field conditions for the study of electro-poration

This paper presents a cell electroporationcharacterization chip using a single tapered channelfor a continuous gradient of electric fields. In the cellelectroporation study, it is required to find the optimalelectric field strength for obtaining the maximum num-ber of both viable and electroporated cells possible. The previous electroporation chip with a single step-wise channel generated a limited number of electricfields. However, the present chip, where continuouselectric fields (0.3-0.5 kV/cm) are generated by a pairof external electrodes across a tapered single channel,provides a more finely tuned electric field for stablecell electroporation with high viability. In the experi-mental study, we characterize H23 non-small-cell lungcancer (NSCLC) cells. In the previous electroporationchip, the percentages of viable electroporated H23 cellswere 51.4% and 44.5% at 0.4 and 0.45 kV/cm, respec-tively. The present chip was measured to have an elec-tric field of 0.44 kV/cm with a maximum percentageof viable electroporated cells of 54.7?4.8%. The pre-sent cell electroporation characterization chip has po-tential for use in integrated cell chips to find fine opti-mal electric field conditions for the study of electro-poration