Micropassage-embedding composite hydrogel fibers enable quantitative evaluation of cancer cell invasion under 3D coculture conditions.

Cell migration and invasion are of significant importance in physiological phenomena, including wound healing and cancer metastasis. Here we propose a new system for quantitatively evaluating cancer cell invasion in a three-dimensional (3D), in vivo tissue-like environment. This system uses composite hydrogel microfibers whose cross section has a relatively soft micropassage region and that were prepared using a multilayered microfluidic device; cancer cells are encapsulated in the core and fibroblasts are seeded in the shell regions surrounding the core. Cancer cell proliferation is guided through the micropassage because of the physical restriction imposed by the surrounding solid shell regions. Quantitative analysis of cancer cell invasion is possible simply by counting the cancer cell colonies that form outside the fiber. This platform enables the evaluation of anticancer drug efficacy (cisplatin, paclitaxel, and 5-fluorouracil) based on the degree of invasion and the gene expression of cancer cells (A549 cells) with or without the presence of fibroblasts (NIH-3T3 cells). The presented hydrogel fiber-based migration assays could be useful for studying cell behaviors under 3D coculture conditions and for drug screening and evaluation.

Patterned hydrogel microfibers prepared using multilayered microfluidic devices for guiding network formation of neural cells.

Multilayered microfluidic devices with a micronozzle array structure have been developed to prepare unique hydrogel microfibers with highly complex cross-sectional morphologies. Hydrogel precursor solutions with different compositions are introduced through vertical micronozzles, united and focused, and continuously gelled to form hydrogel fibers with multiple regions of different physicochemical composition. We prepared alginate hydrogel microfibers with diameters of 60 ~ 130 µm and 4/8 parallel regions in the periphery. Neuron-like PC12 cells encapsulated in the parallel region, which was made of a soft hydrogel matrix, proliferated and formed linear intercellular networks along the fiber length because of the physical restrictions imposed by the relatively rigid regions. After cultivation for 14 days, one-millimeter-long intercellular networks that structurally mimic complex nerve bundles found in vivo were formed. The proposed fibers should be useful for producing various in vivo linear tissues and should be applicable to regenerative medicine and physiological studies of cells.

Fabrication of an integrated holographic imaging element for a three-dimensional eye-gaze detection system.

We evaluate the imaging characteristics of an integrated optical imaging element that is used to obtain images from opposite directions in one imaging sensor for a three-dimensional eye-gaze detection system. The element consists of a transmission-type holographic imaging element, a reflection-type holographic imaging element, and a noise reduction filter. In the evaluation of the imaging characteristics, modulation transfer functions of both the reflection-type and the transmission-type holographic imaging elements are evaluated. Results indicate that both holographic imaging elements have enough resolution, even under white-light illumination conditions, for eye-gaze detection. We also demonstrate the simultaneous detection of images by an artificial eye and objects by using the integrated element under white light or sunlight.