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Life Science Div./ Technology platforms/ Platform for biochips/ Platform for biochips/ Multi-Patch: a chip-based ion-channel assay system for automatic screening

Multi-Patch: a chip-based ion-channel assay system for automatic screening

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Ion channel and microsubstrates: towards high-throughput electrophysiology
Ion-channels are involved in electrical signal transduction and play a critical role in cellular processes. Diseases linked to ion channels deficiences include cardiac arrhythmias, hypertension, cystic fibrosis, epilepsy…making these proteins an important class of therapeutic targets for drug development.
 

The «patch-clamp on a chip» concept. A micro structured planar substrate replaces the conventionnal pipette

 Patch-clamp is the gold-standard for assessing ion channel function. It is able to discriminate ionic currents in the sub picoamp range but requires a high degree of operation skills and does not have the potential to be automated and parallelized.

Our challenge is to use our expertise in microelectronic and

   biological integration to overcome the major drawbacks of electrophysiology.

Multi-Patch is an automated patch-on-achip device enabling multiple simultaneous single-cell electrical recordings.
 
 
Multi-Patch: a bio-electronic sandwich interface for ion channels
The symbiosis between microtechnology, microfluidics and biology, has made « patch clamp on-a-chip » a reality.

By interfacing microstructured substrates and printed circuit boards, Multi-Patch assembles differents modules that enable cellular positionning, electrical multiplexing and amplification, as well as solution delivery through microfluidic channels.

Our aim is to validate the 9 cell- array prototype. This device is in itself an investigation tool for our end-user partners.

   Avantages:

Easy implementation: the planar array replaces patch pipettes and the sandwich assembly requires no micro-manipulation. Therefore, Multi-patch does not require operation by highly skilled electrophysiologists.
Performance: miniaturization of the individual recording unit and large scale parallel recording bring screening capabilities to PatchClamp.
Software Integration: enables higher throughput and better reproducibility.

Silicon reservoir with 2.5 µm diametre micro-hole
   
Virtual manufacturing of the device
 
 
Applications
Pharmaceutical Industry: Drug development for ion channel targets.
Food Industry and Cosmetics: Quality control in the fabrication processes; toxicology.
Environnement: biosensors for toxic element detection.
Basic Research: structure-function study.
 
 
Multi-disciplinary partners in a strong environment
The scientific and technological background of the CEA makes it possible to integrate high tech solutions in microsystem development with strong biological models from the electrophysiology platforms.
The project is backed by 6 partners working in electronics, technology, biophysics and biology.

At DSV (Life Science Division): the Biochip laboratory and the Biochemistry and Biophysics of Integrated Systems (BBSI), Molecular and

   Cellular Biology (BMC), Intracellular Calcium and Signalisation (CIS) labs.

At LETI: 3 teams are involved from the following laboratories Detection Systems for Biology (DSIS/SLB), Microsystems for Biology (DSIS/MSB) and Plastic Technologies and Components (DOPT/LTCP).

Partners: Inserm, CNRS.
 
Contacts:
Life Sciences Division: F Chatelain (francois.chatelain@cea.fr)
Leti: P Puget


Adonis Création - crédit photo : ©CEA