Issue 18, 2010

Stimuli-responsive microwells for formation and retrieval of cell aggregates

Abstract

Generating cell aggregates is beneficial for various applications ranging from biotechnology to regenerative therapies. Previously, poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) microwells have been demonstrated as a potentially useful method for generating controlled-size cell aggregates. In addition to controlling cell aggregate size and homogeneity, the ability to confine cell aggregates on glass adhesive substrates and subsequently retrieve aggregates from microwells for further experimentation and analysis could be beneficial for various applications. However, it is often difficult to retrieve cell aggregates from these microwells without the use of digestive enzymes. This study describes the stable formation of cell aggregates in responsive microwells with adhesive substrates and their further retrieval in a temperature dependent manner by exploiting the stimuli responsiveness of these microwells. The responsive polymer structure of the arrays can be used to thermally regulate the microwell diameters causing a mechanical force on the aggregates, subsequently facilitating the retrieval of cell aggregates from the microwells with high efficiency compared to PEG arrays. This approach can be potentially integrated into high-throughput systems and may become a versatile tool for various applications that require aggregate formation and experimentation, such as tissue engineering, drug discovery, and stem cell biology.

Graphical abstract: Stimuli-responsive microwells for formation and retrieval of cell aggregates

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
29 Mar 2010
Accepted
28 May 2010
First published
27 Jul 2010

Lab Chip, 2010,10, 2411-2418

Stimuli-responsive microwells for formation and retrieval of cell aggregates

H. Tekin, M. Anaya, M. D. Brigham, C. Nauman, R. Langer and A. Khademhosseini, Lab Chip, 2010, 10, 2411 DOI: 10.1039/C004732E

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