Ingestible capsule that could help demystify the gut-brain axis

With funding from the NSF, University of Maryland electrical engineers have developed a capsule that can detect serotonin levels in the gastro-intestinal tract, where neurons send distress signals to the brain.  “The platform included a porous membrane with an integrated serotonin sensor on which a model of the gut lining can be grown. This innovation allowed researchers to access both top and bottom sides of the cell culture — important because serotonin is secreted from the bottoms of cells. The work is the first to demonstrate a feasible method for detection of redox molecules, such as serotonin, directly on a porous and flexible cell culture substrate.”   MORE

Image Credit:  isr.umd.edu