Printed Carbon Microelectrodes for Electrochemical Detection of Single Vesicle Release from PC12 Cells

We present a disposable system for recording neurotransmitter release from individual cells in vitro. A simple yet reliable microelectrode fabrication process is introduced using screen-printed carbon paste. It allows rapid fabrication of devices at low costs without standard clean-room technology. We demonstrate functionality of the system by real-time observation of vesicle release from single PC12 (rat pheochromocytoma) cells. The cells are cultured directly on the chip and can be used for immediate or long-term in vitro experiments. Thus, our approach may serve as a platform for pharmacological cell culture studies.