Cellular Signals Illuminated by Miniature Wireless Sensors

The article discusses a new technology developed by researchers at MIT that allows for the detection of electrical signals from cells with high spatial resolution. The technology, called Organic Electro-Scattering Antennas (OCEANs), uses a polymer material to create tiny antennas on a chip that can detect signals as low as 2.5 millivolts.

Here are some key points from the article:

1. Detection of electrical signals: OCEANs can detect electrical signals from cells with high spatial resolution, allowing researchers to study the behavior of individual cells in real-time.

2. High sensitivity: The antennas have a high enough sensitivity to monitor signals with voltages as low as 2.5 millivolts, which is lower than the typical signal sent by neurons for communication (100 millivolts).

3. Fast kinetics: OCEANs can respond to changing signals in only a few milliseconds, enabling them to record electrical signals with fast kinetics.

4. Fabrication process: The researchers use a focused ion beam to cut hundreds of nanoscale holes into the top layers of the device, and then submerge the chip in a solution that contains the precursor building blocks for the polymer.

5. Scalability: The fabrication process is relatively fast, and the researchers can make a chip with millions of antennas using this technique.

The potential applications of OCEANs are vast, including:

1. In vitro studies: OCEAN arrays can be designed to have cells cultured directly on top of them and put under an optical microscope for analysis.

2. Neuroscience research: The technology could be used to study the behavior of individual neurons and neural networks.

3. Biosensing: OCEANs could be integrated into nanophotonic devices, which manipulate light at the nanoscale for next-generation sensors and optical devices.

The article mentions that this research is funded in part by the U.S. National Institutes of Health and the Swiss National Science Foundation.