TY - JOUR

T1 - Detection of biological signals from a live mammalian muscle using an early stage diamond quantum sensor

AU - Webb, James Luke

AU - Troise, Luca

AU - Hansen, Nikolaj Winther

AU - Olsson, Christoffer

AU - Wojciechowski, Adam M.

AU - Achard, Jocelyn

AU - Brinza, Ovidiu

AU - Staacke, Robert

AU - Kieschnick, Michael

AU - Meijer, Jan

AU - Thielscher, Axel

AU - Perrier, Jean-Francois

AU - Berg-Sørensen, Kirstine

AU - Huck, Alexander

AU - Andersen, Ulrik Lund

PY - 2021

Y1 - 2021

N2 - The ability to perform noninvasive and non-contact measurements of electric signals produced by action potentials is essential in biomedicine. A key method to do this is to remotely sense signals by the magnetic field they induce. Existing methods for magnetic field sensing of mammalian tissue, used in techniques such as magnetoencephalography of the brain, require cryogenically cooled superconducting detectors. These have many disadvantages in terms of high cost, flexibility and limited portability as well as poor spatial and temporal resolution. In this work we demonstrate an alternative technique for detecting magnetic fields generated by the current from action potentials in living tissue using nitrogen vacancy centres in diamond. With 50 pT/Hz sensitivity, we show the first measurements of magnetic sensing from mammalian tissue with a diamond sensor using mouse muscle optogenetically activated with blue light. We show these proof of principle measurements can be performed in an ordinary, unshielded lab environment and that the signal can be easily recovered by digital signal processing techniques. Although as yet uncompetitive with probe electrophysiology in terms of sensitivity, we demonstrate the feasibility of sensing action potentials via magnetic field in mammals using a diamond quantum sensor, as a step towards microscopic imaging of electrical activity in a biological sample using nitrogen vacancy centres in diamond.

AB - The ability to perform noninvasive and non-contact measurements of electric signals produced by action potentials is essential in biomedicine. A key method to do this is to remotely sense signals by the magnetic field they induce. Existing methods for magnetic field sensing of mammalian tissue, used in techniques such as magnetoencephalography of the brain, require cryogenically cooled superconducting detectors. These have many disadvantages in terms of high cost, flexibility and limited portability as well as poor spatial and temporal resolution. In this work we demonstrate an alternative technique for detecting magnetic fields generated by the current from action potentials in living tissue using nitrogen vacancy centres in diamond. With 50 pT/Hz sensitivity, we show the first measurements of magnetic sensing from mammalian tissue with a diamond sensor using mouse muscle optogenetically activated with blue light. We show these proof of principle measurements can be performed in an ordinary, unshielded lab environment and that the signal can be easily recovered by digital signal processing techniques. Although as yet uncompetitive with probe electrophysiology in terms of sensitivity, we demonstrate the feasibility of sensing action potentials via magnetic field in mammals using a diamond quantum sensor, as a step towards microscopic imaging of electrical activity in a biological sample using nitrogen vacancy centres in diamond.

U2 - 10.1038/s41598-021-81828-x

DO - 10.1038/s41598-021-81828-x

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 33510264

VL - 11

JO - Scientific Reports

JF - Scientific Reports

SN - 2045-2322

IS - 1

M1 - 2412

ER -