Amperometric glucose sensor for real time extracellular glucose monitoring in microfluidic device

We have combined a microfluidic network and developed a miniature glucose sensor to measure glucose consumption of single cardiomyocytes in a confined extracellular space. The thin film glucose sensor was integrated into a 360 picoliter extracellular space. We used Pt thin film electrodes (20x100 μm) as a counter electrode, and a needle type reference electrode (0.45 mm diam) placed in the cell loading port of the microfludic device. Single cardiac cells were trapped in the sensing volume using pressure gradients. Using miniature mechanical valves allowed us eliminate the interference of flow artifacts on the detection of glucose. We have demonstrated the feasibility to measure the glucose consumption of single cardiac myocytes in an enclosed confined extracellular volume using of miniature glucose sensitive electrodes fabricated by spin-coated deposition.