engleski

Electrochemical imaging of cell adhesion

We present the amperometric response of single cell adhesion in a real time, from the initial attachment to a finite state of spread cell. The technique is based on measurement of double-layer charge displacement at the mercury drop electrode. The flow of compensating current reflects the dynamics of adhesive contact formation and subsequent spreading of a cell. The spike-shaped signals have the peak current in microampere range, duration in milliseconds, and displaced charge in the nanocoulomb range. The only hypothesis used in interpreting the signals is the validity of the electrical double-layer model. A surprising similarity to adhesion signals of droplets of liquid hydrocarbons (C12-C18) suggests that collective properties of cell exterior govern the dynamics of adhesion and rate of spreading, with the fluidity playing a major role. The characteristic potential range of adhesion can serve to study the interplay of complex surface forces involved in cell-electrode double-layer interactions.

cell adhesion; electrochemical imaging

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