title: Photo-crosslinkable hydrogel-based 3D microfluidic culture device.
abstract: We developed the photo-crosslinkable hydrogel-based 3D microfluidic device to culture neural stem cells (NSCs) and tumors. The photo-crosslinkable gelatin methacrylate (GelMA) polymer was used as a physical barrier in the microfluidic device and collagen type I gel was employed to culture NSCs in a 3D manner. We demonstrated that the pore size was inversely proportional to concentrations of GelMA hydrogels, showing the pore sizes of 5 and 25 w/v% GelMA hydrogels were 34 and 4 μm, respectively. It also revealed that the morphology of pores in 5 w/v% GelMA hydrogels was elliptical shape, whereas we observed circular-shaped pores in 25 w/v% GelMA hydrogels. To culture NSCs and tumors in the 3D microfluidic device, we investigated the molecular diffusion properties across GelMA hydrogels, indicating that 25 w/v% GelMA hydrogels inhibited the molecular diffusion for 6 days in the 3D microfluidic device. In contrast, the chemicals were diffused in 5 w/v% GelMA hydrogels. Finally, we cultured NSCs and tumors in the hydrogel-based 3D microfluidic device, showing that 53-75% NSCs differentiated into neurons, while tumors were cultured in the collagen gels. Therefore, this photo-crosslinkable hydrogel-based 3D microfluidic culture device could be a potentially powerful tool for regenerative tissue engineering applications.
authors: Department of Bionano Technology, Hanyang University, Ansan, Korea.
authors: Youlee
authors: Y
authors: Lee
authors: Jong Min
authors: JM
authors: Lee
authors: Pan-Kee
authors: PK
authors: Bae
authors: Il Yup
authors: IY
authors: Chung
authors: Bong Hyun
authors: BH
authors: Chung
authors: Bong Geun
authors: BG
authors: Chung
mesh_terms: D024042:Collagen Type I / Q000737:chemistry; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents / Q000737:chemistry; D005780:Gelatin / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000737:chemistry*; D056656:Lab-On-A-Chip Devices; D061986:MCF-7 Cells; D058953:Neural Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D016062:Porosity; D046509:Tissue Culture Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D024042:Collagen Type I; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D020100:Hydrogels; D005780:Gelatin
keywords: Hydrogel; Microfluidic device; Stem cell