title: Cryopreservation of cell-containing poly(ethylene) glycol hydrogel microarrays.
abstract: Here we describe the fabrication and preservation of mammalian cell-containing hydrogel microarrays that have potential applications in drug screening and pathogen detection. Hydrogel microstructures containing murine fibroblasts were fabricated on silicon substrates and subjected to a "stage-down" freezing process. The percent viability of both immortal and primary embryonic murine fibroblast cells within the gels was determined at various stages in the freezing process, showing that cells entrapped in hydrogel microstructures remained viable throughout the process. When compared to immortalized adherent cultures subjected to the same freezing process, cells within hydrogel structures had higher cell viabilities at all stages during preservation. Finally, the necessity of using a cryoprotectant, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), was investigated. Cells in hydrogels were cryopreserved with and without DMSO. The addition of DMSO altered cell viability after the freeze-thaw process, enhancing viability in an immortalized cell line and decreasing viability in a primary cell line.
authors.affiliation: The Huck Institute for the Life Sciences and the Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802-4400, USA.
authors.forename: Laura J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Itle
authors.forename: Michael V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Pishko
mesh_terms: D016475:3T3 Cells; D000818:Animals; D001681:Biological Assay / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002470:Cell Survival; D015925:Cryopreservation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000737:chemistry; D051379:Mice; D046228:Microarray Analysis / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D046210:Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D020100:Hydrogels; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols