Patterning alginate hydrogels using light-directed release of caged calcium in a microfluidic device.
This paper describes a simple reversible hydrogel patterning method for 3D cell culture. Alginate gel is formed in select regions of a microfluidic device through light-triggered release of caged calcium. In the pre-gelled alginate solution, calcium is chelated by DM-nitrophen (DM-n) to prevent cross-linking of alginate. After sufficient UV exposure the caged calcium is released from DM-n causing alginate to cross-link. The effect of using different concentrations of calcium and chelating agents as well as the duration of UV exposure is described. Since the cross-linking is based on calcium concentration, the cross-linked alginate can easily be dissolved by EDTA. We also demonstrate application of this capability to patterned microscale 3D co-culture using endothelial cells and osteoblastic cells in a microchannel.
Chueh
Bor-han
BH
Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
Zheng
Ying
Y
Torisawa
Yu-suke
YS
Hsiao
Amy Y
AY
Ge
Chunxi
C
Hsiong
Susan
S
Huebsch
Nathaniel
N
Franceschi
Renny
R
Mooney
David J
DJ
Takayama
Shuichi
S
D000464:Alginates / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000737:chemistry*; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D017022:Flow Injection Analysis / Q000295:instrumentation*; D020723:Glucuronic Acid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000528:radiation effects; D006603:Hexuronic Acids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000528:radiation effects; D006801:Humans; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000737:chemistry / Q000528:radiation effects; D008027:Light; D051379:Mice; D046210:Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*
D000464:Alginates; D006603:Hexuronic Acids; D020100:Hydrogels; D020723:Glucuronic Acid; D002118:Calcium