Dynamic monitoring of cell adhesion and spreading using the RT-CES system

A method of monitoring cell adhesion or cell spreading comprising:

• a) providing a device operably connected to an impedance analyzer;
• said device comprising:
• i) a non-conductive substrate,
• ii) a plurality of electrode arrays and at least two connection pads positioned on said substrate, wherein each electrode array comprises at least two electrode structures, each of which comprises multiple electrode elements, further wherein the electrode structures of each electrode array have substantially the same surface area and are fabricated on a same side of said substrate, further wherein the electrode elements of each electrode structure of an electrode array are connected together to a common connection pad;
• and
• iii) a test portion of said substrate coated with a test biological molecule or an organic compound, and a control portion of said substrate optionally coated with a biological molecule or organic compound, wherein each molecule or compound is independently selected from the group consisting of a DNA molecule, an RNA molecule, a protein, a polypeptide, an oligopeptide, an antibody, a ligand, a peptide, a receptor, one or more proteins or compounds present in the extracellular matrix (ECM), a molecule or compound capable of binding an integrin, and a cell surface receptor;
• b) introducing a cell or cell population to said test portion and to said control portion;
• c) performing a series of impedance measurements of said test portion and said control portion;
• d) determining the change in impedance and optionally a cell index (CI) of said test portion and the change in impedance and optionally a cell index (CI) of said control portion;
• e) comparing said change in impedance of said test portion to said change in impedance of said control portion or comparing said cell index (CI) of said test portion to said cell index (CI) of said control portion;
• and
• f) determining whether cell adhesion or cell spreading on the test portion is different from that on the control portion if said comparison demonstrates a significant change in impedance.