A microfluidic platform for whole-membrane integrity profiling in live neuronal cells.
A microfluidic platform for whole-membrane integrity profiling in live neuronal cells.
Where did the research take place?
The study site has not been established. Author addresses may differ from where the research occurred.
Lausanne, CH · Author affiliation
Laboratory of Life Science Electronics, École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland.Location evidence
Doha, QA · Author affiliation
Weill Cornell Medicine Qatar, Education City, Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar. halashuel@qf.org.qa.Location evidence
New York City, US · Author affiliation
Department of Neurology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA. halashuel@qf.org.qa.Location evidence
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Original abstract
Structural and functional compromise of the cellular membrane is a central mechanism in the pathogenesis of numerous diseases, including neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. However, existing techniques for assessing membrane integrity often lack the ability to provide dynamic, whole-cell measurements and are limited to localized damage detection or population-level analysis. There is a growing need for methods capable of monitoring membrane integrity over time at the single-cell level and across the entire membrane surface. In this study, we present a microfluidic platform for real-time, label-free assessment of membrane integrity by analyzing dielectric properties. We apply this system to investigate how different aggregated forms of α-Synuclein (aSyn), a protein that plays a central role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease and disrupts neuronal membranes. Our platform integrates electrokinetic microdevices with 3D microelectrodes and imaging, enabling continuous analysis of up to 30 live neuronal cells per hour in flow. By measuring electrorotation responses, we quantify changes in plasma membrane capacitance in response to monomeric, oligomeric, and fibrillar aSyn. This approach allows direct, time-resolved comparison of membrane-disruptive effects across different aSyn conformations with single-cell resolution and whole-membrane sensitivity.