LATEER: Low-Cost Open-Source Platform for Electrical Stimulation and TEER Measurement in Human Cardiomyocytes
- 1INEU-CONICET; FLENI;
Abstract
Electrical stimulation (ES) and transepithelial/transendothelial electrical resistance (TEER) measurements are essential techniques in cell biology and tissue engineering, yet commercial devices for these applications cost between USD 2,500-9,000 and typically offer only one functionality. We present LATEER (Low-cost Arduino-based TEER and Electrical stimulation device), an open-source hardware platform that combines both ES and TEER measurement capabilities at a total cost below USD 100. The device features four independent channels, configurable pulsatile signals (amplitude up to 8.2 V, frequency 0.1-500 Hz, pulse width [≥]0.1 ms), and a resistance measurement range of 300 {Omega} to 1 M{Omega}, with <5% error for R [≥] 4.7 k{Omega}. LATEER uses commercially available graphite pencil leads as electrodes ({approx}USD 2 vs. USD 350 for commercial Ag/AgCl electrodes), which demonstrated excellent biocompatibility in cell culture. The system includes 3D-printed electrode holders compatible with standard 12-well and 24-well plates, allowing microscope visualization without electrode removal, and a Python-based graphical user interface for parameter configuration and real-time data acquisition. Because the electrodes remain fixed in the plate lid and only a single cable enters the incubator, both stimulation and resistance measurement can run continuously under standard culture conditions (37 {degrees}C, 5% CO2) without removing the plate or repositioning the electrodes, avoiding the temperature excursions and placement variability inherent to manual chopstick measurements. Validation with human pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes demonstrated reliable frequency capture (electrical pacing) of the contracting monolayer, with a capture threshold between 250 and 400 mV/mm and controlled pacing across the 0.5-5 Hz range. TEER functionality was verified with mesenchymal stem cells, where the device resolved cell-density-dependent differences in electrical resistance in real time. All design files, firmware, and software are freely available under the CERN-OHL-S v2 license, enabling replication and customization by research laboratories worldwide.
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BibTeX
@misc{delillo2026lateer,
title = {{LATEER: Low-Cost Open-Source Platform for Electrical Stimulation and TEER Measurement in Human Cardiomyocytes}},
author = {F. DeLillo and J. Smucler},
howpublished = {bioRxiv},
year = {2026},
month = aug,
doi = {10.64898/2026.08.06.743263},
url = {https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.08.06.743263v2},
note = {CC BY-NC},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - LATEER: Low-Cost Open-Source Platform for Electrical Stimulation and TEER Measurement in Human Cardiomyocytes
AU - F. DeLillo
AU - J. Smucler
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/08/06
PB - bioRxiv
DO - 10.64898/2026.08.06.743263
UR - https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.08.06.743263v2
AB - Electrical stimulation (ES) and transepithelial/transendothelial electrical resistance (TEER) measurements are essential techniques in cell biology and tissue engineering, yet commercial devices for these applications cost between USD 2,500-9,000 and typically offer only one functionality. We present LATEER (Low-cost Arduino-based TEER and Electrical stimulation device), an open-source hardware platform that combines both ES and TEER measurement capabilities at a total cost below USD 100. The device features four independent channels, configurable pulsatile signals (amplitude up to 8.2 V, frequency 0.1-500 Hz, pulse width [≥]0.1 ms), and a resistance measurement range of 300 {Omega} to 1 M{Omega}, with <5% error for R [≥] 4.7 k{Omega}. LATEER uses commercially available graphite pencil leads as electrodes ({approx}USD 2 vs. USD 350 for commercial Ag/AgCl electrodes), which demonstrated excellent biocompatibility in cell culture. The system includes 3D-printed electrode holders compatible with standard 12-well and 24-well plates, allowing microscope visualization without electrode removal, and a Python-based graphical user interface for parameter configuration and real-time data acquisition. Because the electrodes remain fixed in the plate lid and only a single cable enters the incubator, both stimulation and resistance measurement can run continuously under standard culture conditions (37 {degrees}C, 5% CO2) without removing the plate or repositioning the electrodes, avoiding the temperature excursions and placement variability inherent to manual chopstick measurements. Validation with human pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes demonstrated reliable frequency capture (electrical pacing) of the contracting monolayer, with a capture threshold between 250 and 400 mV/mm and controlled pacing across the 0.5-5 Hz range. TEER functionality was verified with mesenchymal stem cells, where the device resolved cell-density-dependent differences in electrical resistance in real time. All design files, firmware, and software are freely available under the CERN-OHL-S v2 license, enabling replication and customization by research laboratories worldwide.
ER -