| The patch-clamp technique is considered the gold standard to assess ion channel function across cell membranes. The technique's low throughput and highly labor-intensive nature are its main drawbacks. Emerging microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) chip-based technologies are beginning to make large-scale screens of ion channels possible. However, extremely low gigaseal formation makes it uniquely challenging to achieve the conversion from the traditional technique to chip-based patch clamp technology.;A novel chip-based patch clamp system is developed by modifying surface chemistry surrounding the chip aperture with a special material. Two methods are presented to synthesize these special materials to increase electrical resistance so as to improve the chance of gigaseal formation. One method, which uses an organometallic hybrid film, mimics the chemical composition of traditional patch clamp glass and incorporates special metal elements into a silicon dioxide matrix while another method directly deposits the traditional patch clamp glass on chip surface. Chemical composition is analyzed by Energy Disperse X-ray technique and surface roughness is measured at different reflowing temperatures. The modification of surface chemistry provides a potential possibility for the chip-based patch clamp system to achieve high frequency of successful high seals, which make it possible to realize high throughput and automation of this technology application in drug screening for pharmaceutical companies. |
