TY - JOUR U1 - Zeitschriftenartikel, wissenschaftlich - begutachtet (reviewed) A1 - Schmiedinger, Thomas A1 - Partel, Stefan A1 - Lechleitner, Thomas A1 - Eiter, Oliver A1 - Hekl, Daniel A1 - Kasemann, Stephan A1 - Lukas, Peter A1 - Edlinger, Johannes A1 - Lechner, Judith A1 - Seppi, Thomas T1 - Interdigitated aluminium and titanium sensors for assessing epithelial barrier functionality by electric cell-substrate impedance spectroscopy (ECIS) JF - Biomedical Microdevices N2 - Electric cell-substrate impedance spectroscopy (ECIS) enables non-invasive and continuous read-out of electrical parameters of living tissue. The aim of the current study was to investigate the performance of interdigitated sensors with 50 μm electrode width and 50 μm inter-electrode distance made of gold, aluminium, and titanium for monitoring the barrier properties of epithelial cells in tissue culture. At first, the measurement performance of the photolithographic fabricated sensors was characterized by defined reference electrolytes. The sensors were used to monitor the electrical properties of two adherent epithelial barrier tissue models: renal proximal tubular LLC-PK1 cells, representing a normal functional transporting epithelium, and human cervical cancer-derived HeLa cells, forming non-transporting cancerous epithelial tissue. Then, the impedance spectra obtained were analysed by numerically fitting the parameters of the two different models to the measured impedance spectrum. Aluminium sensors proved to be as sensitive and consistent in repeated online-recordings for continuous cell growth and differentiation monitoring assensors made of gold, the standard electrode material. Titanium electrodes exhibited an elevated intrinsic ohmic resistance incomparison to gold reflecting its lower electric conductivity. Analysis of impedance spectra through applying models and numerical data fitting enabled the detailed investigation of the development and properties of a functional transporting epithelial tissue using either gold or aluminium sensors. The result of the data obtained, supports the consideration of aluminium and titanium sensor materials as potential alternatives to gold sensors for advanced application of ECIS spectroscopy. Y1 - 2020 SN - 1387-2176 SS - 1387-2176 SN - 1572-8781 SS - 1572-8781 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s10544-020-00486-4 DO - https://doi.org/10.1007/s10544-020-00486-4 VL - 22. Jg. IS - H. 2 SP - 13 S1 - 13 ER -