Stimuli-responsive microwells for formation and retrieval of cell aggregates.
Lab Chip
; 10(18): 2411-8, 2010 Sep 21.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-20664846
ABSTRACT
Generating cell aggregates is beneficial for various applications ranging from biotechnology to regenerative therapies. Previously, poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) microwells have been demonstrated as a potentially useful method for generating controlled-size cell aggregates. In addition to controlling cell aggregate size and homogeneity, the ability to confine cell aggregates on glass adhesive substrates and subsequently retrieve aggregates from microwells for further experimentation and analysis could be beneficial for various applications. However, it is often difficult to retrieve cell aggregates from these microwells without the use of digestive enzymes. This study describes the stable formation of cell aggregates in responsive microwells with adhesive substrates and their further retrieval in a temperature dependent manner by exploiting the stimuli responsiveness of these microwells. The responsive polymer structure of the arrays can be used to thermally regulate the microwell diameters causing a mechanical force on the aggregates, subsequently facilitating the retrieval of cell aggregates from the microwells with high efficiency compared to PEG arrays. This approach can be potentially integrated into high-throughput systems and may become a versatile tool for various applications that require aggregate formation and experimentation, such as tissue engineering, drug discovery, and stem cell biology.
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Microtecnologia
Limite:
Humans
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Lab Chip
Ano de publicação:
2010
Tipo de documento:
Article