Electrical impedance spectroscopy study of biological tissues

The objective of this study was to investigate the electrical impedance properties of rat lung and other tissues ex vivo using electrical impedance spectroscopy. Rat lungs (both electroporated and naïve (untreated)), and mesenteric vessels (naïve) were harvested from male Sprague–Dawley rats; their electrical impedance were measured using a Solartron 1290 impedance analyzer. Mouse lung and heart samples (naïve) were also studied. The resistance (real Z, Ω) and the reactance (Im Z, negative Ω) magnitudes and hence the Cole–Cole (real Z versus Im Z) plots are different for the electroporated lung and the naive lung. The results confirm the close relationship between the structure and the functional characteristic. These also vary for the different biological tissues studied. The impedance values were higher at low frequencies compared with those at high frequencies. This study is of practical interest for biological applications of electrical pulses, such as electroporation, whose efficacy depends on cell type and its electrical impedance characteristics.