Reproducibility of data is, of course, an essential
quality of any analytical measurement. The ECIS 1600R can perform concurrent
measurements on up to 16 individual culture wells providing an opportunity
to see typical spread of cell data. When using 8W1E arrays, the active area
being monitored is 250 micrometers in diameter or an area of about 5 x 10-4
cm2. If one is dealing with a confluent layer of cells of cell
density 2 x 105 cells per cm2, then only 100 cells are
being monitored. In spite of this relatively small number, the ECIS response
is very uniform. Consider the data shown below where six individual wells
are inoculated with a monodisperse suspension of BS-C-1 cells. As these
cells attach and spread the resistive portion of the impedance at 4000 Hz
increases with a spread in the data of only about 10%.

Another
informative example involves the ECIS automated wound-healing assay. In this
case 4 confluent layers of cells in individual wells are wounded at the
first arrow; once these heal, they are again wounded. Notice the high
reproducibility of the data from well to well. The black trace is the
control that was not wounded but simply shows the normal level of
fluctuations due to cell movements.

These examples are with one active electrode
per well. We also have an 8W10E array that has 10 small electrodes spaced
over the bottom of the well. This arrangement allows for 10 times as many
cells to be monitored (1000 cells for the example above) and results in even
better reproducibility.