Development of a platform for microscale monitoring of cell function and differentiation

We present the technological development of a platform aimed for the monitoring of cell function and differentiation. The platform is equipped with an array of 16 silicon nitride micropipettes (diameter=3 /spl mu/m), located at the bottom of a 350 /spl mu/m deep microchannel, and with two microfluidic drug delivery systems placed on both sides of the microchannel. The micropipettes house ion selective microelectrodes and the microfluidics serve to deliver growth and differentiation factors to cells to be cultured at the bottom of the channels. We are currently developing such a system using NH/sub 4//sup +/-selective microelectrodes to monitor the differentiation of stem cells into hepatocytes.