Single-cell impedance cytometry of anticancer drug-treated tumor cells exhibiting mitotic arrest state to apoptosis using low-cost silver-PDMS microelectrodes

/M mitotic arrest compared to untreated cells. The cells under apoptosis, on the other hand, exhibit opposite changes in these electrical parameters. Therefore, the impedance features differentiate the HeLa cells under progressive states post anticancer drug treatment. We also demonstrate that vinblastine poses a more potent drug effect than paclitaxel especially at low concentrations. Our device is fabricated using a unique sacrificial layer-free soft lithography process as compared to the existing MIC device, which gives rise to readily aligned parallel microelectrodes made of silver-PDMS embedded in PDMS channel sidewalls with one molding step. Our results uncover the potential of the MIC device, with a fairly simple and low-cost fabrication process, for cellular state screening in anticancer drug therapy.