title: Spatiotemporal micropatterning of cells on arbitrary substrates.
abstract: This paper presents a readily accessible patterning platform--based upon geometric constraints, discrete cell suspension droplets, and controlled cell settling--that provides both temporal and spatial patterning capabilities. As a demonstration, single-cell (and bead) suspensions as well as multicellular human embryonic stem cell colonies are spatiotemporally patterned onto arbitrary substrates. These substrates include tissue culture surfaces, cell monolayers, protein-coated surfaces, and 3D gel matrices. The generation of soluble factor gradients is also demonstrated. This method is completely passive and does not require external power sources. Spatiotemporal patterning provides a foundation for future biological studies that explore the time-dependent relationships between cell-cell signaling and cellular responses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA.
authors.forename: Vinay V
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: Abhyankar
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Beebe
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D011137:Polystyrenes; D013379:Substrate Specificity; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D011137:Polystyrenes