Canadian Journal of Pure & Applied Sciences

Abstract: An acoustic wave method has been employed for the study of contractible bodies using a quartz crystal microsensor. We studied two examples of contractible bodies, namely, the hydrogel polymer and heart muscle cell. First, a hydrogel polymer was formed on the surface of a quartz crystal resonator. This hydrogel polymer can expand under alkaline conditions and contract under acidic conditions. During this process, the elastic properties of the polymer have changed. These modify the acoustic wave propagation of the quartz crystal, and are manifested as changes in the resonant frequency of quartz. The changes have been electrically measured by a network analyzer using the impedance measurement mode. Our results show that the resonant frequency increases when the hydrogel expands, and the frequency decreases while it contracts. The measured parameter can be related to the extent of expansion and contraction. Second, the contraction of the cardiomyocyte (heart muscle cell) has been studied by using the quartz crystal microsensor. When the cell contracts, the microsensor shows decreases in the resonant frequency. Although the contraction mechanisms are different, these frequency results are consistent with those obtained with the hydrogel polymer.