Melt Electrowritten In Vitro Radial Device to Study Cell Growth and Migration

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Cell Biology
• Materials Science

Background:

• Understanding cell migration in 3D microenvironments is crucial for disease research.
• Glioblastoma cell migration is a key factor in tumor progression and metastasis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and utilize a novel 3D-printed in vitro device to determine optimal Matrigel concentrations for glioblastoma cell migration.
• To investigate the influence of topographical cues from the device on cell migration patterns.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a 3D-printed radial device using melt electrowriting (MEW) with controlled printing paths.
• Dispensing varying concentrations of Matrigel (2, 4, 6, and 8 mg/mL) into the device's radial chambers.
• Seeding glioblastoma cells in the center of the device and analyzing cell spreading area after 8 days.

Main Results:

• Glioblastoma cells showed significantly greater spreading in Matrigel concentrations of 6 and 8 mg/mL compared to 2 and 4 mg/mL.
• Topographical cues from the MEW-printed fiber walls further enhanced glioblastoma cell migration away from the seeding area.
• The study successfully demonstrated the utility of MEW for creating tools to study cell migration, distinct from scaffold fabrication.

Conclusions:

• The developed 3D-printed radial device effectively identifies preferred Matrigel concentrations for glioblastoma cell migration.
• Higher Matrigel concentrations and specific topographical features promote glioblastoma cell motility in vitro.
• This approach offers a new tool for studying cell migration dynamics in controlled 3D microenvironments.