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An Innovative 3D-Printed Insert Designed to Enable Straightforward 2D and 3D Cell Cultures
Published on: January 6, 2023
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Injection molded open microfluidic well plate inserts for user-friendly coculture and microscopy
John H Day1, Tristan M Nicholson2, Xiaojing Su1
1Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Box 351700, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. abt1@uw.edu.
Lab on a Chip
|November 13, 2019
Summary
New open microfluidic cell culture devices integrate into standard well plates for studying cell communication. These platforms support rare primary cell cultures and advanced microscopy, enhancing biological research accessibility.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Cell Biology
- Microfluidics
Background:
- Open microfluidic systems offer advanced tools for biological mechanism interrogation.
- Previous systems utilized capillary flow in hydrogels within well plates.
- Need for easily adoptable, cost-effective microfluidic platforms for researchers.
Purpose of the Study:
- Introduce novel, injection-molded open microfluidic devices for standard well plates.
- Enable study of soluble factor communication between multiple cell types.
- Facilitate research with rare primary cells and advanced imaging.
Main Methods:
- Development of injection-molded open microfluidic devices.
- Integration into standard cell culture well plates and workflows.
- Optimization of evaporation control and compatibility with microscopy sample preparation.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated usability for culturing limited primary testis cells.
- Successful application in immunocytochemistry and single molecule fluorescence in situ hybridization (smFISH).
- Showcased coculture models for adipocyte-prostate cancer cell interactions.
Conclusions:
- The new microfluidic devices offer a cost-effective, user-friendly platform for diverse cell culture applications.
- Enhanced compatibility with standard workflows and microscopy facilitates broader adoption.
- The platform is suitable for studying cell-cell communication and rare cell populations.
