Electric Cell-Substrate Impedance Sensing
ECIS^TM

in cooperation with Applied BioPhysics

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Electric Cell-Substrate Impedance Sensing (ECIS) is an automated method to monitor cell behavior. The ECIS technology allows the observation of e.g. cell growth, cell attachment, cell motility, morphology changes, barrier functions, and cell spreading.

When cells attach and spread upon the electrode they do not respond in any way to the very weak AC current, but their insulating membranes block and constrain the current flow, resulting in measured variations in the impedance. By applying current and measuring the voltage across a small empty electrode, the impedance can be calculated and broken down into a series resistance and capacitance.

ECIS measurements are totally non-invasive and are made continuously in real-time without the need for fluorescent or radioactive tracers.

The heart of the measurement is a specialized slide that has 8 individual wells for cell culturing. The base of this device has an array of gold electrodes that connects the ECIS electronics to each of the wells.

• non invasive cell based assays
  
• multiple, real time measurements
  
• toxicological screenings
  
• wound healing assays
  
• drug uptake studies
  

Upon application of the weak current to the ECIS wells, the ECIS 1600R instrument follows both the electrode voltage and the phase of that voltage relative to the applied current. The complex impedance measured at different frequencies can also be analyzed and allows one to refine the source of the impedance. The analysis is based on a published model and reports for confluent cell layers:

• the barrier function of the layer (the impedance associated with current flow in the paracellular space between the cells)
  
• a term related to the impedance associated with the current fold in the constricted spaces between the cell’s basal membrane and the substrate
  
• and the averaged cell membrane capacitance
  

Available in Germany only. For further information please contact us.