Hollow microneedle electrode arrays for intracellular recording applications

This paper reports on the fabrication of hollow microneedle electrodes with fluidic channels arranged in 8x8 arrays. Features of these electrodes include (i) an increased surface area for improved intracellular potential measurements with simultaneous membrane cell poration capabilities, (ii) their potential use in highly parallel patch-clamp applications and (iii) the ability to efficiently inject reagents and extract cytoplasm into and from the cell interior, respectively. Three different fabrication processes to realize hollow microneedle electrode arrays with incorporated microfluidic components, as well as initial experiments with cell cultures, are presented.