Future biochips could plug into your cells

    Researcher said that the first time they had developed a by the same molecules that are rich in energy and fuel living cells driven microchips.This progress marks one day in the equipment into the cells, and get the biological energy to drive equipment.

    Molecules adenosine triphosphate (ATP) stored chemical energy, and within cells to produce energy from the ground transportation to the consumption.This new type of microchip relies on enzymes called adenosine of sodium/potassium phosphate synthetase.The ATP molecules decomposition, releasing energy, and use the energy to sodium, potassium ion membrane, resulting in a potential difference.

    The study lead author Ken Shepard said: "in the life system, ion pump is similar to the electronic component."He is also a Columbia University electronic engineer, and his colleagues on December 7th edition of the journal nature communications detailed their findings.

    Researchers will pig brain extract sodium/potassium adenosine phosphate synthetase in the artificial fat membrane, in the film, every square millimeter in more than 2 million of these molecules, is about mammals, 5% of the density of nerve fibers in the molecule.

    The ion pump produced about 78 mv of potential difference.Two pieces of the "biological cells on the cell membrane can provide enough voltage to start a CMOS integrated circuit.The chemical energy of ion pump - power conversion efficiency is about 14.9%.

    Shepard says: "these ion pump produces an electric field, can be used to drive a solid system."

    Due to ATP only appeared in cells, has never been found in the blood, so Shepard warned that the new system does not apply to traditional implantable medical devices, such as cardiac pacemaker.

    But he also said: "such a system, however, is enough to make we will make small enough to implant can be inserted into the cell. Solid state material has been used in nanoparticles, to provide different treatment methods and the target of imaging, but these are merely passive materials. The idea is to create a certain ability to calculate and action, ability to decision-making and execution decisions on certain things."

    Shepard believe that future research may also to include membrane protein in electronics, such as those that have effect on taste and smell of membrane proteins."There will be many ways to solid state system and cell biological devices together."