Real time in vitro monitoring and impedance modeling of mammalian cell activities on planar ECIS and micro/nano patterned cytosensors

Abstract

Real time monitoring of cellular activities like cell adhesion, spreading, proliferation, apoptosis and wound healing is of significant importance for understanding the mechanisms involved in cell–cell and cell–matrix communication, which eventually is expected to unfold some of the mysteries related to the functioning of diseased and normal cells. Towards this direction, surface topography plays a crucial role to provide a distinct in vitro environment for better manipulation and understanding of in vivo cell behavior. In this review, we focus on the real time monitoring of mammalian cell activities along with distributed electrical models using planar electric cell impedance sensing (ECIS) substrates and micro/nano patterned topographic cytosensors.