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Cell Co-culture Patterning Using Aqueous Two-phase Systems
Published on: March 26, 2013
3D structured capillary cell suspensions aided by aqueous two-phase systems
Amro K F Dyab1,2, Vesselin N Paunov1
1Department of Chemistry, Nazarbayev University, Kabanbay Batyr 53, Astana 010000, Kazakhstan. vesselin.paunov@nu.edu.kz.
Abstract:
We report a facile technique for 3D structuring of living cells by forming capillary cell suspensions based on an aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) of polyethylene glycol (PEG) and dextran (DEX) solutions. We demonstrate the formation of water-in-water (DEX-in-PEG) capillary bridges using concentrated suspensions of yeast cells which show enhanced rheological properties and distinctive 3D patterns. Capillary structured cell suspensions can potentially find applications in novel ways of 3D cell culturing, instant tissue engineering and many biomedical investigations.

