Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 6, 2026
07:09
Manipulating Living Cells to Construct Stable 3D Cellular Assembly Without Artificial Scaffold
Published on: October 26, 2018
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3D manipulation of cell spheroids using laser-actuated microrobots.
Y Wang1,2,3, P Harder1,2,3, N İyisan1,2,3
1Microrobotic Bioengineering Lab (MRBL), School of Computation Information and Technology, Technical University of Munich, Hans-Piloty-Straße 1, 85748, Garching, Germany. berna.oezkale@tum.de.
Materials Horizons
|March 5, 2026
Summary
Researchers developed microrobots for precise 3D cell spheroid manipulation. This breakthrough enables the creation of complex microtissues for advanced disease modeling and tissue engineering applications.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Engineering
- Cellular Biology
- Tissue Engineering
Background:
- Three-dimensional (3D) cell spheroids are valuable models for research, but creating complex heterogeneous microtissues is difficult.
- Precise and biocompatible methods for manipulating spheroids are needed for advanced 3D biofabrication.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present a novel method for 3D spheroid manipulation using microrobots and laser-induced thermophoresis.
- To demonstrate the ability to construct heterogeneous microtissues and complex tissue models.
Main Methods:
- Microrobots are integrated into spheroids via cell-driven self-assembly.
- Laser stimulation (11.7-17.6 mW, 0.33 Hz) induces thermophoretic flow for spheroid locomotion (jumping, vectoring, pulling).
- Fibrosarcoma (HT1080) and fibroblast (HDF) spheroids are assembled and fused to create complex tissue models.
Main Results:
- Microrobot-integrated spheroids exhibit controllable locomotion with excellent biocompatibility.
- Complex tissue models, including fused cancer-stromal interactions and radial fibroblast arrangements, were successfully generated.
- The method allows for the creation of spatially sophisticated assembloids for in vitro studies.
Conclusions:
- This microrobot-based strategy offers a versatile approach for 3D spheroid manipulation.
- The technology advances 3D microtissue biofabrication for applications in drug screening and in vitro disease modeling.
