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FleXert: A Soft, Actuatable Multiwell Plate Insert for Cell Culture under Stretch.

Sara Correia Carreira1, Majid Taghavi2, Elizabeth Pavez Loriè3

  • 1School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University Walk, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TD, United Kingdom.

ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering
|April 12, 2021
PubMed
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Researchers developed FleXert, a soft, actuatable cell culture insert made of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). This versatile, low-cost device mimics physiological strain for advanced tissue engineering and mechanobiology research.

Area of Science:

  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Mechanobiology
  • Tissue Engineering

Background:

  • Current cell culture inserts are rigid and static, failing to replicate dynamic biological microenvironments.
  • Studying cellular responses to mechanical forces is crucial for understanding tissue development and disease.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To introduce FleXert, a novel soft, actuatable cell culture insert for dynamic cell culture.
  • To demonstrate FleXert's capability in mimicking physiological strain for tissue engineering applications.

Main Methods:

  • Fabrication of FleXert using polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) with a porous membrane.
  • Pneumatic actuation of FleXert to induce tensile strains up to 30% using a syringe pump.
  • Surface functionalization for cell adhesion (fibroblasts) and 3D tissue model anchoring (collagen gels).
Keywords:
biointerfacein vitro modelmechanical stimulationsoft actuatortissue engineering

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Main Results:

  • FleXert successfully transduced mechanical strain to adherent human dermal fibroblasts.
  • 3D tissue models, including a human skin model, were established on FleXert, showing excellent biocompatibility.
  • The device enables versatile actuation patterns and is compatible with standard lab equipment.

Conclusions:

  • FleXert offers a low-cost, versatile platform for studying mechanobiology and developing advanced tissue models.
  • This technology advances research in biological barrier penetration and tissue engineering by simulating physiological conditions.
  • The provided toolkit facilitates multidisciplinary research in mechanobiology.