Researchers from the University of Cambridge, Cornell University and Stanford University said that
The devices were formed on chips, keepingorientation and functionality of the cell membrane, and have been successfully used to control the activity of ion channels, a class of proteins in human cells. They are the target of more than 60% of approved pharmaceutical drugs.
Cell membranes play a central role inbiological signaling, controlling everything from pain relief to virus infection. They act as the "gatekeeper" between the cell and the outside world. The team decided to create a sensor that preserves all the critical aspects of the cell membrane — the structure, fluidity, and control of the movement of ions — without the laborious steps necessary to maintain cell life.
The device uses an electronic chip tomeasuring any changes in the overlying membrane extracted from the cell. This allows scientists to safely and easily understand how a cell interacts with the outside world.
Researchers have developed a "membrane on a chip"human cells, which allows you to continuously monitor how drugs and infectious agents interact with our cells, and can soon be used to test potential candidate drugs for COVID-19. Courtesy: Susan Daniel / Cornell University
New invention combines cell membranes withconductive polymer electrodes and transistors. To create membranes on a chip, the Cornell University team first optimized the process of producing membranes from living cells, and then, working with the Cambridge team, combined them with polymer electrodes in such a way as to preserve all their functionality. Hydrated conductive polymers provide a more “natural” environment for cell membranes and allow reliable control of its function.
Stanford team optimized polymerelectrodes for monitoring changes in membranes. The device no longer relies on living cells. They are often technically difficult to sustain and require significant attention, and measurements can continue for a long period of time.
Because membranes are made from humancells, it’s like a biopsy of the surface of this cell - scientists have all the material that must be present, including proteins and lipids, but there is no problem using live cells.
This type of screening is usually performed by the pharmaceutical industry with live cells, but our scientists' device provides an easier alternative.
To date, the purpose of the study,sponsored by the United States Defense Research Projects Agency (DARPA), it was shown to show how viruses, such as influenza, interact with cells. Now, DARPA has provided additional funding to test the device’s effectiveness in screening potential drug candidates for COVID-19 in a safe and effective way.
Given the significant risks associated withby researchers working on SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, scientists in the project will focus on creating viral membranes and fusing them with chips. Scientists can identify new drugs or antibodies to neutralize the viral peaks that are used to enter the host cell. This work is expected to begin on August 1.
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