Highly Accurate Measurement of Trans-Epithelial Electrical Resistance in Organ-on-a-Chip

Trans-epithelial electrical resistance (TEER) is now used as an experimental readout and a quality control assay for measuring the integrity of epithelial monolayers cultured in Organ-on-a-Chips (OoCs). However, TEER measurements has been limited by considerable errors in data due to improper design of integrating electrodes. Here we report a OoC design method with finite element analysis that achieves the sensitive detection of cell layer and the accurate measurement of TEER values. Our approach has employed an index of "sensitivity variation" calculated from current density depending on electrodes configuration and fluidic structure, allowing to identify the suitable electrodes design for TEER measurements. To prove proof-of-concept, the impedance spectroscopy measurements were performed in a gut-on-chip. The present approach, supported by the experimental data, will allow a comparison of TEER values across any OoCs as well as real-time assessment of biological functions.