Applications

Cell Behavior Under Flow

The ECIS Method

ECIS Flow The ECIS 1600F™ and 800F™ instruments are designed specifically for researchers who wish to employ ECIS impedance measurements to study the behavior of cells under flow conditions. These instrument packages are turn-key systems with user-friendly software integrating ECIS measurements with flow control. The standard ECIS flow arrays are used with the system providing eight independent measuring electrodes on the floor of a channel 0.5 cm wide and 5 cm long with a height of 400 micrometers. Flow can be programmed from slow rates to perfuse the cells with medium to high rates yielding shear stress similar to that experienced by endothelial cells in vivo. The flow programming also includes the ability to generate pulsed flows of different periods and with varying flow rates.

A peristaltic pump included with the system is designed for operation in the high humidity of the tissue culture incubator. This pump communicates with the system via a serial cable to the back of the ECIS controller. In addition to the ECIS electronics, peristaltic pump and software, the system includes all tubing, medium reservoir, flow equalizer, array holder and a starting supply of the flow arrays. All of the ECIS flow systems can be ordered with the optional elevated field module for electroporation studies or cell migration measurements via automated wound-healing assays.

Like our other research instruments, the package includes either a notebook PC or a desktop PC.

ECIS flow schematc

Bovine aortic endothelial cells measured using ECIS Flow Cells are cultured on the electrode plate and culture media is pumped over the electrode plate. Cell activity is monitored by the ECIS instrumentation.*

Bovine aortic endothelial cells were grown to confluence on the ECIS array and introduced into the flow chamber. The resistive portion of the impedance (normalized to the starting value) was monitored with an ECIS Model 1600R system and is presented as a function of time. Flow is turned on and off as indicated by the arrows. Data was collected every minute and error bars are shown every 15 minutes.*

*DePaola, N., Phelps, J.E., Florez, L., Keese, C.R., Giaever, I., Minnear, F.L., and Vincent, P. ?Electrical Impedance of Cultured Endothelium Under Fluid Flow? Annals of Biomedical Engineering 29, pp. 1-9 (2001)

Download the Dynamic Flow Brochure.

Cells Under Flow: Related ECIS Publications

Shikataa, Y., Riosa, A., Kawkitinaronga, K., DePaolab, N., Garciaa, J.G.N., Birukov, K.G., "Differential effects of shear stress and cyclic stretch on focal adhesion remodeling, site-specific FAK phosphorylation, and small GTPases in human lung endothelial cells" Experimental Cell Research Volume 304, Issue 1, 40-49 (2005).

DePaola, N., Phelps, J.E., Florez, L., Keese, C.R., Giaever,I., Minnear, F.L., and Vincent, P. "Electrical Impedance of Cultured Endothelium Under Fluid Flow", Annals of Biomedical Engineering 29, pp. 1-9 (2001)

Phelps, J.E., and DePaola, N. "Spatial Variation in Endothelial Barrier Function in Disturbed Flows inVitro". American Journal of Physiology: Heart and Circulatory Physiology, 278: H469-H476, (2000).