Development of Single Cardiomyocyte Measurement of Extracellular Potential

Abstract

For studying the cell communication, it was essential that the single cell response in cellular network was analyzed. Cardiomyocytes networks are known to change simultaneously the membrane potential with spontaneous excitation. To measure the extracellular potential change in single cardiomyocytes in networks, we developed the micro-electrode array (MEA) chip consisted of 10 μm diameter and 3 μm height of Pt-black-coated ITO electrode with agarose microchambers. Single cardiomyocytes were arranged one by one on this MEA chip with a micropipette. The extracellular potential in a single cardiomyocyte could be measured with this MEA chip. The amplitude of the extracellular potential change in a single cardiomyocyte was very small (<100 μV) and the beating rate was fluctuated. These results would promote to measure the membrane potential changes of single cardiomyocytes in cellular networks.