Mammalian Cell-Growth Monitoring Based on an Impedimetric Sensor and Image Processing within a Microfluidic Platform

Sensors (Basel). 2023 Apr 5;23(7):3748. doi: 10.3390/s23073748.

Abstract

In recent years, advancements in microfluidic and sensor technologies have led to the development of new methods for monitoring cell growth both in macro- and micro-systems. In this paper, a microfluidic (MF) platform with a microbioreactor and integrated impedimetric sensor is proposed for cell growth monitoring during the cell cultivation process in a scaled-down simulator. The impedimetric sensor with an interdigitated electrode (IDE) design was realized with inkjet printing and integrated into the custom-made MF platform, i.e., the scaled-down simulator. The proposed method, which was integrated into a simple and rapid fabrication MF system, presents an excellent candidate for the scaled-down analyses of cell growths that can be of use in, e.g., optimization of the cultivated meat bioprocess. When applied to MRC-5 cells as a model of adherent mammalian cells, the proposed sensor was able to precisely detect all phases of cell growth (the lag, exponential, stationary, and dying phases) during a 96-h cultivation period with limited available nutrients. By combining the impedimetric approach with image processing, the platform enables the real-time monitoring of biomasses and advanced control of cell growth progress in microbioreactors and scaled-down simulator systems.

Keywords: PMMA; biomass; impedimetric sensor; inkjet printing; interdigitated electrodes; microbioreactor; microfluidics; scaled-down.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Electrodes
  • Mammals*
  • Microfluidics*

Grants and funding

This research was funded by REALSENSE1: Monitoring of cell culture parameters using sensors for biomass and nutrients/metabolites in media: Lab-on-a-Chip (LOC) approach, Good Food Institute 2018 Competitive Grant Program and REALSENSE2: From Lab-On-A-Chip to Custom Bioreactor: Scale Up Modeling Study, Good Food Institute 2019 Competitive Grant Program.