Multichannel planar microelectrode platform for recording extracellular field potentials

Abstract

This paper presents the implementation of a Microelectrode Array Platform for registering until 60 channels of cellular bio-potentials in real-time. This electrophysiological system was set by using home-made and commercial elements acquired from Multichannel Systems (Germany). Some of them are, the planar microelectrode arrays, the housing system, and the amplifier. Additionally, we used a data-acquisition card (NI USB-6225, from National Instruments) for the digitalization of the signals. We developed the monitoring and acquisition software through a high-level programming environment (LabView, National Instruments). The system has additional synchronization features, which allow it to interact with external devices. For instance, an electrical stimulator, an optical video camera, etc. The result is a completely modular electrophysiological system, which allows monitoring the bio potentials from living cells cultured onto the planar microelectrodes. The data registered by the acquisition card can be visualized and stored on the computer by a friendly graphic user interface.