Apparatus and method for electrically contacting biological cells suspended in a liquid

US7361500B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Cytocentrics AG · DE

Inventors

• Alfred Stett · Reutlingen, DE
• Wilfried Nisch · Tübingen, DE
• Hugo Hammerle · Bingen, DE
• Thomas Knott · Markt Indersdorf, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 3, 2003
• Grant date: Apr 22, 2008
• Expiry date: Jan 3, 2023

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01N33/5438
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An apparatus for electrically contacting biological cells suspended in a liquid has a substrate having at least one opening and an electrode for electrically contacting a cell immobilized above the opening. A contact unit with a contact tip is arranged below said opening. A top end of the contact tip projects into the opening in such a way that it comes to bear against a cell membrane of the immobilized cell. The contact tip has a contact channel which ends at its top end. A hydrodynamic low pressure can be exerted upon the cell membrane via the contact channel, and the electrode is electrically connected to the contact channel. In a method for electrically contacting biological cells suspended in a liquid, a cell is immobilized above an opening provided in a substrate, and the immobilized cell is contacted via at least one electrode. For contacting the immobilized cell, a hydrodynamic low pressure is generated acting on a cell membrane through a contact tip projecting into the opening.