Manipulation of cell-cell adhesion using bowtie-shaped microwells.
Traditional methods to study cell-cell adhesion have been limited by their inability to manipulate cell-cell interactions without simultaneously affecting other microenvironmental factors. Here we describe a novel method that enables the culture of cells with precise simultaneous control of both cell-cell and cell-substratum adhesion. Using microfabricated stamps of poly(dimethylsiloxane), we construct bowtie-shaped agarose microwells into which cells can be cultured. The degree to which cells spread is controlled by the size of the microwell; cell-cell contacts form between neighboring cells within the microwell. This chapter describes the details of stamp fabrication, agarose microwell construction, and cell culture in micropatterned substrata.
Nelson
Celeste M
CM
Life Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA.
Liu
Wendy F
WF
Chen
Christopher S
CS
D000818:Animals; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002450:Cell Communication; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004129:Dimethylpolysiloxanes / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D012685:Sepharose / Q000737:chemistry; D012828:Silicones / Q000737:chemistry
D015820:Cadherins; D004129:Dimethylpolysiloxanes; D012828:Silicones; C013830:baysilon; D012685:Sepharose