CMOS readout and control architecture for single-cell real-time microsystems

The paper presents a readout and control architecture for single-cell real-time microsystems. The single-cell microsystem comprises 0.35-/spl mu/m CMOS electronics combined with post-CMOS processing to form a microhotplate and platinum (Pt) electrodes, and a polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) microfluidic device to form the microchannel. The on-chip electronics can measure cell parameters, such as rate of cell respiration, cell size, membrane capacitance, and cytoplasm resistance. Further, the on-chip electronics can control the microchannel temperature to quantify single-cell messenger RNA (mRNA) for gene expression by quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The chip communication is handled with an I/sup 2/C digital standard interface.