Individually programmable cell stretching microwell arrays actuated by a Braille display

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology
• Cell Biology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Static cell culture systems do not replicate dynamic in vivo environments.
• Mechanotransduction, the cellular response to mechanical stimuli, is crucial in physiological processes.
• Existing stretchable cell culture systems are often macroscopic and low-throughput.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a high-throughput microfluidic device for dynamic cell stretching.
• To investigate cellular morphological responses to controlled mechanical strain.
• To compare the mechanotransduction responses of different human and mouse cell types.

Main Methods:

• A novel device with 24 miniature cell stretching chambers was created using a Braille display.
• Computer-controlled piezoelectric actuators deformed flexible bottom membranes to apply cyclic stretch.
• Image capture and analysis protocols quantified cell morphological changes under varying strain frequencies and durations.
• Human dermal microvascular endothelial cells (HDMECs), C2C12 mouse myogenic cells, and A549 lung epithelial cells were cultured and subjected to mechanical stimuli.

Main Results:

• HDMECs exhibited increased alignment and elongation perpendicular to strain with increasing frequency (0.2, 1, 5 Hz) and duration (2, 4, 12h).
• C2C12 cells showed alignment in response to mechanical stretch.
• A549 cells did not display significant morphological changes in response to the applied strain.

Conclusions:

• The developed microfluidic cell stretching device effectively mimics physiological dynamic environments.
• Cellular responses to mechanical strain are cell-type specific, with HDMECs and C2C12 cells showing distinct mechanotransduction.
• This technology offers a promising platform for high-throughput mechanobiology research and drug discovery.