Abstract
Ions and biomolecules are the languages that biological systems use to transfer signals in intracellular communication and organism function. As such, bioelectronic devices that conduct ions and biomolecules rather than electrons and holes are particularly suited for biological integration. Among these ions, protons (H+) are important in many biochemical reactions including neuronal excitability and oxidative phosphorylation of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). In this Research Update, we describe our efforts in measuring and controlling the concentration of H+ ions in biological systems using bioelectronic devices with contacts that are made of palladium and palladium hydride (Pd/PdHx). Pd/PdHx contacts act as an electron to proton transducer and can be used in artificial membranes containing ion channels, biohybrid photodetectors, the delivery of biochemical stimuli, pH sensitive glucose sensing, and precise control of pH using machine learning.
Highlights
INTRODUCTIONIons and biomolecules dominate intra- and inter-cell communication in biological processes.[1,2] Bioelectronics bridges biology and electronics with sensors and actuators with many potential applications ranging from therapeutics to synthetic biology.[3,4]
We have recently introduced closed-loop control of cell membrane voltage (Vmem) using bioelectronic devices controlled by using a self-adaptive machine learning (ML) based feedback controller to close the loop between sensing and actuation [Fig. 6(a)]
In this Research Update, we have summarized bioelectronic devices that are able to control [H+] and pH in solution by transferring H+ using Pd/PdHx contacts
Summary
Ions and biomolecules dominate intra- and inter-cell communication in biological processes.[1,2] Bioelectronics bridges biology and electronics with sensors and actuators with many potential applications ranging from therapeutics to synthetic biology.[3,4]. We discuss recent results from using Pd/PdHx as a proton conducting bioelectronic interface with solution for artificial membranes with ion channels, pH triggered delivery of biochemicals, pH enabled glucose sensing, and closed-loop control of pH actuation and sensing using a self-adaptive machine learning (ML) based feedback controller (Fig. 1).[36]. On the Pd/PdHx contact shifts the reaction equilibrium and induces the transfer of H+ to or from the solution, which effectively controls [H+] in the solution (Fig. 2). When Eq (1) leads to a positive value, H+ will transfer from the contact to the solution until equilibrium is reached. When Eq (1) leads to a negative value, H+ will transfer from the solution to the contact until equilibrium is reached. The opposite is true for solutions with high pH (low [H+])
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