The microelectrode array technique - a crucial tool for studying excitable tissue disorders and drug testing: an update on recent advances

• Published in: Progress in biophysics and molecular biology Vol. 197; pp. 97 - 107
• Main Authors: Angelovski, Andrijana, Bébarová, Markéta
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.09.2025
• Subjects: Animals; Cardiac electrophysiology; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical - instrumentation; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical - methods; Drug testing; Electrophysiological Phenomena; Excitability disorders; Humans; Microelectrode array; Microelectrodes; Neural electrophysiology; Excitability disorders; Microelectrode array; Neural electrophysiology; Drug testing; Cardiac electrophysiology
• ISSN: 0079-6107; 1873-1732; 1873-1732
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2025.07.005

The microelectrode array (MEA) is an electronic device composed of a varying number of microelectrodes used to detect the extracellular field potential generated by excitable tissues. This technology allows for the measurement of electrical activity without damaging the cell membrane during recording. MEA offers a better way of getting long-term recordings and observing different cellular activities than the invasive patch clamp technique. Recent research demonstrates that MEA technology enables scientists to detect both cellular and subcellular events, allowing them to study cellular properties and reactions across different experimental conditions and even to identify distinct ion currents and their impact on cellular electrophysiology. The paper reviews the historical development of MEA technology along with its modern applications for electrophysiological research. The future advancement of MEA technology will improve our knowledge about neuronal and cardiac excitability and expand its use to additional electrically active tissues, advancing research in pharmacology, neuroscience, cardiology, and other fields.