A biosensor based an micromechanical interrogation of living cells

The authors have demonstrated that living cells can be reliably cultured directly onto atomic force microscope (AFM) cantilevers. The cells are inclined to grow on both sides of the surface, and the cantilevers must be treated to deter such two-sided growth. Preliminary data acquired with the AFM demonstrate that these integrated cell/cantilevers are capable of detecting the response of Madine Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells to different toxins, with response time on the order of several seconds. These results suggest the feasibility of real-time, rapid, and sensitive biomechanical sensors. A separate fluid chamber has been built, which is capable of detecting fluid temperature changes of tenths of a degree. The initial temperature results from the fluid chamber prototype indicate the potential for a low-cost dedicated system.