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A microfabricated lab-on-chip with three-dimensional electrodes for microscopic observation of bioelectromagnetic effects of cells

Bioelectrochemistry (Amsterdam, Netherlands) · 2023 · Harm · Low evidence

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A microfabricated lab-on-chip with three-dimensional interdigital electrodes was developed for low-frequency EM stimulation and microscopic observation of cell lines. In a 24-hour culturing experiment, cell growth was reported as obviously affected by a 10 kH…

Study snapshot

PublicationBioelectrochemistry (Amsterdam, Netherlands) · 2023
Study typeengineering
Reported directionHarm
Evidence ratingLow

Abstract

A microfabricated lab-on-chip with three-dimensional electrodes for microscopic observation of bioelectromagnetic effects of cells Lu Y, Shi Y. A microfabricated lab-on-chip with three-dimensional electrodes for microscopic observation of bioelectromagnetic effects of cells. Bioelectrochemistry. 2023 Dec;154:108554. doi: 10.1016/j.bioelechem.2023.108554. Abstract Electromagnetic (EM) signals are widely used in electronic instruments and biomedical systems and might have affected the human bodies surrounded by them. However, the interaction mechanism of EM signals with biological structures is poorly understood. We propose a micro-fabricated low-frequency EM stimulation lab-on- chip with three-dimensional interdigital electrodes for observation of cell lines with microscope. The field strength between the electrodes at various frequencies is estimated through simulation. An electric field strength of 4.45Vrms/m is reached in the culture medium with a 10Vpp, 10 kHz input signal. According to the simulation results, the high end of the applicable frequency range of the testbench is 3 MHz. A prototype is fabricated using full-wafer microfabrication techniques. The impedance of the prototype between 20 Hz and 30 MHz is characterized. Moreover, human cell line HEK293T is cultured in the testbench for 24 h and observed using microscope to check the biocompatibility of the electrodes. The prototype is thus applicable to long-term microscopic observation of cell lines for study of EM effect on biological structures. The 24-h cell culturing experiment with and without EM stimulation with the proposed prototype shows that the cell growth is obviously affected by a 10 kHz EM signal. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

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AI evidence extraction

Structured fields below were generated from the paper’s abstract and metadata to make the evidence easier to inspect. Automated extraction may be incomplete or incorrect; verify important details against the original paper.

Study typeengineering
Effect directionharm
PopulationHuman cell line HEK293T (in vitro)
Sample sizeNot supplied
ExposureELF · 0.01 MHz · 24 h
Evidence strengthLowConfidence: 74% · Peer reviewed: yes

Main findings

A microfabricated lab-on-chip with three-dimensional interdigital electrodes was developed for low-frequency EM stimulation and microscopic observation of cell lines. In a 24-hour culturing experiment, cell growth was reported as obviously affected by a 10 kHz EM signal compared with no stimulation.

Outcomes measured

  • Cell growth
  • Biocompatibility of electrodes
  • Impedance characterization (20 Hz–30 MHz)
  • Estimated electric field strength in culture medium (simulation)

Limitations

  • Mechanistic details not provided in abstract
  • Sample size and quantitative results not reported in abstract
  • In vitro cell-line study; generalizability to humans not established
  • Exposure metrics beyond estimated electric field strength (e.g., SAR) not reported in abstract
View raw extracted JSON
{
  "study_type": "engineering",
  "exposure": {
    "band": "ELF",
    "source": "lab-on-chip EM stimulation (3D interdigital electrodes)",
    "frequency_mhz": 0.01,
    "sar_wkg": null,
    "duration": "24 h"
  },
  "population": "Human cell line HEK293T (in vitro)",
  "sample_size": null,
  "outcomes": [
    "Cell growth",
    "Biocompatibility of electrodes",
    "Impedance characterization (20 Hz–30 MHz)",
    "Estimated electric field strength in culture medium (simulation)"
  ],
  "main_findings": "A microfabricated lab-on-chip with three-dimensional interdigital electrodes was developed for low-frequency EM stimulation and microscopic observation of cell lines. In a 24-hour culturing experiment, cell growth was reported as obviously affected by a 10 kHz EM signal compared with no stimulation.",
  "effect_direction": "harm",
  "limitations": [
    "Mechanistic details not provided in abstract",
    "Sample size and quantitative results not reported in abstract",
    "In vitro cell-line study; generalizability to humans not established",
    "Exposure metrics beyond estimated electric field strength (e.g., SAR) not reported in abstract"
  ],
  "evidence_strength": "low",
  "confidence": 0.74,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
  "keywords": [
    "lab-on-chip",
    "microfabrication",
    "three-dimensional electrodes",
    "interdigital electrodes",
    "low-frequency electromagnetic stimulation",
    "HEK293T",
    "cell growth",
    "biocompatibility",
    "impedance characterization",
    "simulation"
  ],
  "suggested_hubs": []
}
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AI-extracted fields are generated from the abstract and metadata and may be incomplete or incorrect. This material is for informational purposes and is not medical advice.

Identifiers and source

DOI: 10.1016/j.bioelechem.2023.108554
PubMed: 37657166

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