Broadband dielectric characterization of zebrafish embryo suspensions using the impedance spectroscopy technique

This paper presents the electrical characterization of biological suspensions using the impedance spectroscopy technique combined with simulation methods based on finite elements. For this purpose, a modified coaxial line is used as a test fixture enclosing the biological suspension to be characterized in the frequency range from 100 kHz to 100 MHz. In the study we have used a suspension of Zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos due to its potential applications to biomedical and toxicological research areas. The electrical parameters of the different suspensions under test are obtained by fitting the experimental impedance spectra to the spectra obtained from simulation of the model of the test fixture using finite elements (FE). The impedance spectra obtained for the suspensions allow the identification of different stages in blastula period of embryonic development of the zebrafish as well as of viable and non-viable embryos. The good results obtained with the combined experimental and simulation techniques may provide a basis for a non-invasive method to monitor the dielectric changes in any biological suspension.