Among ionic circuits reported, those that utilize organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) have attracted significant interest from both fundamental and applied perspectives due to the high amplifications and speeds of operation they offer 11, 12. Logic gates composed of microfluidic ionic transistors have also been designed 10. In another example, ionic diodes based on rectifying nanopores and microchannels were connected into logic gates 7– 9. Connecting four such channels into a circuit known from electronics as a bridge rectifier enabled changing alternating current into direct current.
One of the first ionic circuits was composed of four biological α-hemolysin channels, where individual channels had been chemically modified so that they functioned as ionic diodes 6. In the signal transduction of sound, for example, hair cells of the cochlea mechanically transduce sound waves into ion currents by opening cochlear ion channels to ionic transport open channels allow millions of ions to pass through per second, which leads to signal generation (in the form of a change in transmembrane potential), and is ultimately detected and processed by the brain 5.Įxamples of man-made ionic circuits have already been reported. This transmembrane ionic transport is often the first step in a biological amplification process, which enables sensing external stimuli including light, sound, and odor. The key players in physiological processes are biological channels in a cell membrane that facilitate exchange of ions and molecules, for instance between the intracellular and extracellular spaces in cells and tissues. On the other hand, the physiological processes of living organisms rely on another type of circuit, which is entirely ionic and functions in an aqueous environment 3, 4. ICs consist of electronic components such as diodes and transistors, and allow for signal manipulation and amplification. Integrated circuits (ICs) revolutionized our lives, and are ubiquitous in virtually all electronic devices including cell phones, computers, and pacemakers 1, 2.
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