Potential of ion image sensors

Abstract

Many types of ions and neurotransmitters exist in our bodies and play important roles. We thought that if we could directly visualize these, we would be able to elucidate previously unknown phenomena. We have been developed an ion image sensor that combines CMOS and biosensor technologies. This technology is being developed as an extracellular imaging technology to simultaneously visualize and analyze multiple types of chemical information that are intricately intertwined in the extracellular microenvironment, with the aim of elucidating neurotransmission mechanisms, clarifying the causes of diseases and drug discovery.