In Vitro Recording of Intracellular Action Potentials of Cardiomyocytes Using Printed Electrolyte-Gated Polymer Field-Effect Transistors

Excitable cells such as cardiomyocytes exert their function through a complex interplay of ion channels that regulate selective ion fluxes across the membrane. This process generates Action Potentials (APs), which are rapid changes in the membrane voltage that occur spontaneously or as a consequence of an electrical stimulus. The shape, duration and amplitude of the AP convey relevant information about the physiological state of the cell. Currently, most electrophysiology tools for probing intracellular action potentials are either invasive or require complex manufacturing processes. There is a high demand for minimally invasive, high-throughput technologies capable of scalable recording of intracellular action potentials in electrogenic cells. To facilitate a cost-effective and non-invasive probing platform, based on devices that can be effortlessly fabricated and processed from solution using large-area printing techniques, we propose planar Electrolyte Gated Field-Effect Transistors based on solution-processed carbon based semiconductors. Remarkably, despite the planar geometry of the device, we could demonstrate the spontaneous recording of intracellular action potentials from a monolayer of human induced pluripotent stem cells derived Cardiomyocytes. The effect of drugs on the AP shape, duration and frequency was investigated. The device's simplicity and high signal-to-noise ratio pave the way for low-cost, reliable, and flexible biosensors and arrays, enabling high-quality parallel recording of cellular action potentials.