Real-time cellular impedance monitoring and imaging in a dual-flow bioreactor

The generation of physiologically relevant in vitro models of biological barriers can play a key role in understanding human diseases and in the development of more predictive methods for assessing toxicity and drug or nutrient absorption. Here, we present an advanced cell culture system able to mimic the dynamic environment of biological barriers, while monitoring cell behaviour through real-time impedance measurements and imaging. Caco-2 cells were cultured in the Trans Epithelial Electric Impedance (TEEI) bioreactor under both flow and static conditions. The cells in dynamic conditions developed higher impedance values at low frequencies and showed a typical RC behaviour, while the controls showed minimal capacitive behaviour. These results highlighted the differences between flow and static conditions and the ability of the TEEI measurements to provide a more precise indication of monolayer formation.