Microdevice for the measurement of neutrophil activity for stress monitoring

Bactericidal activity of neutrophils is closely related to mental stress. To measure the activity, a microfabricated Clark-type oxygen electrode coupled with a microfluidic channel was used. Active neutrophils phagocytose the bacteria more, which leads to the decrease in the number of the bacteria and influences oxygen consumption. This device can measure the phagocytotic process with a trace of neutrophil cells by measuring the change in the oxygen consumption in the existence of E. coli. A clear difference was observed between co-incubated neutrophils and E. coli and only E. coli.