Mechanosensitive channel stimulation system using low-intensity ultrasound by piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducer array

In this research, piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducer (pMUT) array was used for stimulation of mechanosensitive channel of HEK293T cells. The fabricated pMUT array was made by microelectromechanical system (MEMS) technology such as photo process, etching, sputtering, and sol-gel method. The resonance frequency and acoustic positive peak pressure were 2.07 MHz and 3.94 kPa, respectively. The proposed system can be used for ultrasonic stimulation and the result can be confirmed using fluorescence microscope by observing the cation changing in real-time. The cells were treated by fluorescence staining and transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily V member 1 (TRPV1) channel inserting. The Ca
⁺
ion level of stimulated cell was changed by ultrasound. The result showed mechanosensitive channel was activated by ultrasound stimulation and observed influx of Ca
⁺
ion in real-time.