Functional fusion of living systems with synthetic electrode interfaces

• Oskar Staufer,
• Sebastian Weber,
• C. Peter Bengtson,
• Hilmar Bading,
• Joachim P. Spatz and
• Amin Rustom

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2016, 7, 296–301, doi:10.3762/bjnano.7.27

• interfaces, we have now achieved stable, functional access to the electrochemical machinery of individual Physarum polycephalum slime mold cells. We demonstrate the “symbionic” union, allowing for electrophysiological measurements, functioning as autonomous sensors and capable of producing nanowatts of

• : biointerface; biosensor; energy harvesting; nanoelectrodes; Physarum polycephalum; Findings The formation process of nanoelectrode interfaces (NEIs) was based on track-etch template synthesis as schematically shown in Figure 1a. First, monocrystalline gold (Au) nanowires in parallel arrangement featuring

• ability, isolation properties and cell survival on one hand, and mechanical stability on the other. To demonstrate the ability of our NEIs to mediate functional access to the interior of living cells, we fused them with macroplasmodia of the slime mold Physarum polycephalum (Figure 2). This developmental