Integrated Cross-Scale Manipulation and Modulable Encapsulation of Cell-Laden Hydrogel for Constructing...

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Tissue Engineering
• Cell Biology

Background:

• Engineered microstructures are crucial for regenerative medicine, drug screening, and cell behavior studies.
• Existing methods struggle to replicate the complex multi-extracellular matrix and multicellular features of natural tissues in vitro.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a versatile method for constructing tissue-mimicking heterogeneous microstructures.
• To enable precise control over extracellular matrix geometry, components, cell density, and patterns within microstructures.

Main Methods:

• Utilized electrowetting on dielectric for macroscopic hydrogel droplet manipulation and exchange.
• Employed dielectrophoresis for microscopic cell manipulation, controlling density and arrangement.
• Applied dynamic ultraviolet photopolymerization for precise microstructure fabrication.

Main Results:

• Successfully constructed heterogeneous microstructures with defined extracellular matrix and cellular patterns.
• Achieved high cell viability (over 90%) for long-term culture of hepatocytes and fibroblasts.
• Demonstrated that cell density and distribution significantly impact cell proliferation and function (urea secretion).

Conclusions:

• The proposed method offers a versatile platform for creating advanced biomimetic heterogeneous microstructures.
• This technique holds significant potential for future applications in tissue engineering and in vitro modeling.