Repository logo

Browsing by Author "Gomes, Henrique Leonel"

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • Extracellular bioelectrical lexicon: detecting rhythmic patterns within dermal fibroblast populations
    Publication . Félix, Rute; Medeiros, Maria do Carmo; Elamine, Youssef; Power, Deborah Mary; Gomes, Henrique Leonel
    This study uses a bioelectronic-based method to establish how non-electrogenic cells, like dermal fibroblast, employ bioelectrical signals to convey information. Electrophysiology using large-area Multielectrode Arrays (MEAs) devices revealed how populations of non-electrogenic cells in vitro generate patterns of bioelectrical signals. The period of the bioelectrical patterns depends on cell population activity. In a fully formed, healthy monolayer, bioelectrical activity is minimal. But during the formation of a monolayer, signals appear randomly, with a dominant period of 4.2 min. Occasionally, quasi-periodic bursts occur with a period between 1.6 and 2 min. When a mechanical wound is inflicted and during subsequent monolayer repair, quasi-periodic signal bursts occur, with an average period ranging from 60 to 110 min. The study uncovers a short-range non humoral communication system and a lexicon of bioelectrical signals linked to cell states.
    2025-08-14Journal article Open access Show more
  • Neuromorphic organic devices that specifically discriminate dopamine from Its metabolites by nonspecific interactions
    Publication . Giordani, Martina; Sensi, Matteo; Berto, Marcello; Di Lauro, Michele; Bortolotti, Carlo Augusto; Gomes, Henrique Leonel; Zoli, Michele; Zerbetto, Francesco; Fadiga, Luciano; Biscarini, Fabio
    Specific detection of dopamine (DA) is achieved with organic neuromorphic devices with no specific recognition function in an electrolyte solution. The response to voltage pulses consists of amplitude-depressed current spiking mimicking the short-term plasticity (STP) of synapses. An equivalent circuit hints that the STP timescale of the device arises from the capacitance and resistance of the poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrenesulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) in series with the electrolyte resistance. Both the capacitance and resistance of PEDOT:PSS change with solution compositions. Dose curves are constructed from the STP timescale for each DA metabolite from pM to mM range of concentrations. The STP response of DA is distinctive from the other metabolites even when differences are by one functional group. Both STP and sensitivity to DA are larger across the patho-physiological range with respect to those to DA metabolites. Density functional theory calculations hint to a stronger hydrogen bond pattern of DA ammonium compared to cationic metabolites. The exponential correlation between STP and the binding energy of DA metabolites interacting with PEDOT:PSS indicates that the slow dynamics of ionic species in and out PEDOT:PSS is the origin of the neuromorphic STP. The sensing framework discriminates differences of nonspecific interactions of few kcal mol(-1), corresponding to one functional group in the molecule.
    2020-07Journal article Restricted access Show more