Equivalent Circuit Modeling and Analysis for Microfluidic Electrical Impedance Monitoring of Single-Cell Growth

Microfluidics has significantly advanced the field of single-cell analysis, particularly in studies related to cell growth, division, and heterogeneity. Electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), a label-free and non-invasive biosensing technique, has been integrated into microfluidic devices for high...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Yingying Wang, Haoran Wu, Yulu Geng, Zhao Zhang, Jiaming Fu, Jia Ouyang, Zhen Zhu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-02-01
Series:Biosensors
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6374/15/2/113
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849719005320839168
author Yingying Wang
Haoran Wu
Yulu Geng
Zhao Zhang
Jiaming Fu
Jia Ouyang
Zhen Zhu
author_facet Yingying Wang
Haoran Wu
Yulu Geng
Zhao Zhang
Jiaming Fu
Jia Ouyang
Zhen Zhu
author_sort Yingying Wang
collection DOAJ
description Microfluidics has significantly advanced the field of single-cell analysis, particularly in studies related to cell growth, division, and heterogeneity. Electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), a label-free and non-invasive biosensing technique, has been integrated into microfluidic devices for high-throughput and long-term monitoring of single budding yeast cells. Accurate interpretation of EIS measurements of cell growth dynamics necessitates the establishment of theoretical equivalent circuit models for the single-cell sensing system. Here, we report on the development of equivalent circuit models of an in situ EIS sensing system to elucidate cell growth. Firstly, finite element modeling and simulation of an EIS measurement of cell growth in the EIS sensing unit were performed, guiding the fittings of electrical components for an established equivalent circuit model (ECM). From the ECM, we extracted an equivalent volume fraction applicable to various cell and sensing unit geometries to describe the geometry-dependent sensing characteristics corresponding to the electrical response in the model. Then, EIS measurements of an immobilized cell in a microfluidic device were conducted via peripheral circuits. A lumped parameter model for the entire EIS measurement system was established, with electrical components determined by fitting to experimental data. The rationality of the proposed theoretical model was validated through the long-term impedance variation induced by cell growth in experiments, demonstrating its feasibility in linking EIS data with the bio-physics underlying the experimental phenomenon.
format Article
id doaj-art-ea276c31d5a14313a1bfbcbb2ed3073c
institution DOAJ
issn 2079-6374
language English
publishDate 2025-02-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Biosensors
spelling doaj-art-ea276c31d5a14313a1bfbcbb2ed3073c2025-08-20T03:12:14ZengMDPI AGBiosensors2079-63742025-02-0115211310.3390/bios15020113Equivalent Circuit Modeling and Analysis for Microfluidic Electrical Impedance Monitoring of Single-Cell GrowthYingying Wang0Haoran Wu1Yulu Geng2Zhao Zhang3Jiaming Fu4Jia Ouyang5Zhen Zhu6School of Integrated Circuits, Southeast University, Wuxi Campus, Zhuangyuan Road 5, Wuxi 214000, ChinaSchool of Integrated Circuits, Southeast University, Wuxi Campus, Zhuangyuan Road 5, Wuxi 214000, ChinaSchool of Integrated Circuits, Southeast University, Wuxi Campus, Zhuangyuan Road 5, Wuxi 214000, ChinaSchool of Integrated Circuits, Southeast University, Wuxi Campus, Zhuangyuan Road 5, Wuxi 214000, ChinaCollege of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Longpan Road 159, Nanjing 210037, ChinaCollege of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Longpan Road 159, Nanjing 210037, ChinaSchool of Integrated Circuits, Southeast University, Wuxi Campus, Zhuangyuan Road 5, Wuxi 214000, ChinaMicrofluidics has significantly advanced the field of single-cell analysis, particularly in studies related to cell growth, division, and heterogeneity. Electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), a label-free and non-invasive biosensing technique, has been integrated into microfluidic devices for high-throughput and long-term monitoring of single budding yeast cells. Accurate interpretation of EIS measurements of cell growth dynamics necessitates the establishment of theoretical equivalent circuit models for the single-cell sensing system. Here, we report on the development of equivalent circuit models of an in situ EIS sensing system to elucidate cell growth. Firstly, finite element modeling and simulation of an EIS measurement of cell growth in the EIS sensing unit were performed, guiding the fittings of electrical components for an established equivalent circuit model (ECM). From the ECM, we extracted an equivalent volume fraction applicable to various cell and sensing unit geometries to describe the geometry-dependent sensing characteristics corresponding to the electrical response in the model. Then, EIS measurements of an immobilized cell in a microfluidic device were conducted via peripheral circuits. A lumped parameter model for the entire EIS measurement system was established, with electrical components determined by fitting to experimental data. The rationality of the proposed theoretical model was validated through the long-term impedance variation induced by cell growth in experiments, demonstrating its feasibility in linking EIS data with the bio-physics underlying the experimental phenomenon.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6374/15/2/113electrical impedance spectroscopyequivalent circuit modelmicroelectrode array<i>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</i>
spellingShingle Yingying Wang
Haoran Wu
Yulu Geng
Zhao Zhang
Jiaming Fu
Jia Ouyang
Zhen Zhu
Equivalent Circuit Modeling and Analysis for Microfluidic Electrical Impedance Monitoring of Single-Cell Growth
Biosensors
electrical impedance spectroscopy
equivalent circuit model
microelectrode array
<i>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</i>
title Equivalent Circuit Modeling and Analysis for Microfluidic Electrical Impedance Monitoring of Single-Cell Growth
title_full Equivalent Circuit Modeling and Analysis for Microfluidic Electrical Impedance Monitoring of Single-Cell Growth
title_fullStr Equivalent Circuit Modeling and Analysis for Microfluidic Electrical Impedance Monitoring of Single-Cell Growth
title_full_unstemmed Equivalent Circuit Modeling and Analysis for Microfluidic Electrical Impedance Monitoring of Single-Cell Growth
title_short Equivalent Circuit Modeling and Analysis for Microfluidic Electrical Impedance Monitoring of Single-Cell Growth
title_sort equivalent circuit modeling and analysis for microfluidic electrical impedance monitoring of single cell growth
topic electrical impedance spectroscopy
equivalent circuit model
microelectrode array
<i>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</i>
url https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6374/15/2/113
work_keys_str_mv AT yingyingwang equivalentcircuitmodelingandanalysisformicrofluidicelectricalimpedancemonitoringofsinglecellgrowth
AT haoranwu equivalentcircuitmodelingandanalysisformicrofluidicelectricalimpedancemonitoringofsinglecellgrowth
AT yulugeng equivalentcircuitmodelingandanalysisformicrofluidicelectricalimpedancemonitoringofsinglecellgrowth
AT zhaozhang equivalentcircuitmodelingandanalysisformicrofluidicelectricalimpedancemonitoringofsinglecellgrowth
AT jiamingfu equivalentcircuitmodelingandanalysisformicrofluidicelectricalimpedancemonitoringofsinglecellgrowth
AT jiaouyang equivalentcircuitmodelingandanalysisformicrofluidicelectricalimpedancemonitoringofsinglecellgrowth
AT zhenzhu equivalentcircuitmodelingandanalysisformicrofluidicelectricalimpedancemonitoringofsinglecellgrowth