Negative dielectrophoretic patterning with different cell types

Enhancing metabolic activity and differentiation potential in adipose mesenchymal stem cells via high-resolution surface-acoustic-wave contactless patterning

Acoustofluidics has shown great potential for label-free bioparticle patterning with excellent biocompatibility. Acoustofluidic patterning enables the induction of cell-cell interactions, which play fundamental roles in organogenesis and tissue development. One of the current challenges in tissue engineering is not only the control of the spatial arrangement of cells but also the preservation of cell patterns over time. In this work, we developed a standing surface acoustic wave-based platform and demonstrated its capability for the well-controlled and rapid cell patterning of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells in a high-density homogenous collagen hydrogel. This biocompatible hydrogel is easily UV crosslinked and can be retrieved within 3 min. Acoustic waves successfully guided the cells toward pressure nodal lines, creating a contactless alignment of cells in <5 s in culture media and <1 min in the hydrogel. The acoustically patterned cells in the hydrogel did not show a decrease in cell viability (>90%) 48 h after acoustic induction. Moreover, 45.53% and 30.85% increases in metabolic activity were observed in growth and differentiation media, respectively, on Day 7. On Day 14, a 32.03% change in metabolic activity was observed using growth media, and no significant difference was observed using differentiation media. The alkaline phosphatase activity showed an increase of 80.89% and 24.90% on Days 7 and 14, respectively, for the acoustically patterned cells in the hydrogel. These results confirm the preservation of cellular viability and improved cellular functionality using the proposed high-resolution acoustic patterning technique and introduce unique opportunities for the application of stem cell regenerative patches for the emerging field of tissue engineering.

Surface acoustic wave (SAW) techniques in tissue engineering

Recently, the introduction of surface acoustic wave (SAW) technique for microfluidics has drawn a lot of attention. The pattern and mutual communication in cell layers, tissues, and organs play a critical role in tissue homeostasis and regeneration and may contribute to disease occurrence and progression. Tissue engineering aims to repair and regenerate damaged organs, depending on biomimetic scaffolds and advanced fabrication technology. However, traditional bioengineering synthesis approaches are time-consuming, heterogeneous, and unmanageable. It is hard to pattern cells in scaffolds effectively with no impact on cell viability and function. Here, we summarize a biocompatible, easily available, label-free, and non-invasive tool, surface acoustic wave (SAW) technique, which is getting a lot of attention in tissue engineering. SAW technique can realize accurate sorting, manipulation, and cells' pattern and rapid formation of spheroids. By integrating several SAW devices onto lab-on-a-chip platforms, tissue engineering lab-on-a-chip system was proposed. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report to summarize the application of this novel technique in the field of tissue engineering.

Flow-Field-Assisted Dielectrophoretic Microchips for High-Efficiency Sheathless Particle/Cell Separation with Dual Mode

Prefocusing of cell mixtures through sheath flow is a common technique used for continuous and high-efficiency dielectrophoretic (DEP) cell separation. However, it usually limits the separation flow velocity and requires a complex multichannel fluid control system that hinders the integration of a DEP separator with other microfluidic functionalities for comprehensive biomedical applications. Here, we propose and develop a high-efficiency, sheathless particle/cell separation method without prefocusing based on flow-field-assisted DEP by combining the effects of AC electric field (E-field) and flow field (F-field). A hollow lemon-shaped electrode array is designed to generate a long-range E-field gradient in the microchannel, which can effectively induce lateral displacements of particles/cells in a continuous flow. A series of arc-shaped protrusion structures is designed along the microchannel to form a F-field, which can effectively guide the particles/cells toward the targeted E-field region without prefocusing. By tuning the E-field, two distinct modes can be realized and switched in one single device, including the sheathless separation (ShLS) and the adjustable particle mixing ratio (AMR) modes. In the ShLS mode, we have achieved the continuous separation of breast cancer cells from erythrocytes with a recovery rate of 95.5% and the separation of polystyrene particles from yeast cells with a purity of 97.1% at flow velocities over 2.59 mm/s in a 2 cm channel under optimized conditions. The AMR mode provides a strategy for controlling the mixing ratio of different particles/cells as a well-defined pretreatment method for biomedical research studies. The proposed microchip is easy to use and displays high versatility for biological and medical applications.

A Prominent Cell Manipulation Technique in BioMEMS: Dielectrophoresis

BioMEMS, the biological and biomedical applications of micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS), has attracted considerable attention in recent years and has found widespread applications in disease detection, advanced diagnosis, therapy, drug delivery, implantable devices, and tissue engineering. One of the most essential and leading goals of the BioMEMS and biosensor technologies is to develop point-of-care (POC) testing systems to perform rapid prognostic or diagnostic tests at a patient site with high accuracy. Manipulation of particles in the analyte of interest is a vital task for POC and biosensor platforms. Dielectrophoresis (DEP), the induced movement of particles in a non-uniform electrical field due to polarization effects, is an accurate, fast, low-cost, and marker-free manipulation technique. It has been indicated as a promising method to characterize, isolate, transport, and trap various particles. The aim of this review is to provide fundamental theory and principles of DEP technique, to explain its importance for the BioMEMS and biosensor fields with detailed references to readers, and to identify and exemplify the application areas in biosensors and POC devices. Finally, the challenges faced in DEP-based systems and the future prospects are discussed.

Determination of membrane capacitance and cytoplasm conductivity by simultaneous electrorotation

Membrane capacitances and cytoplasm conductivities of hematopoietic cells were investigated by simultaneous electrorotation (ROT) systems of multiple cells. Simultaneous ROT was achieved by the rotation of electric fields in grid arrays formed with three-dimensional interdigitated array (3D-IDA) electrodes that can be easily fabricated using two substrates with IDA electrodes. When AC signals were applied to four microband electrodes with a 90° phase difference to each electrode, cells dispersed randomly in the 3D-IDA device started to rotate and moved to the center of each grid. Multiple cells were simultaneously rotated at the center of grids without friction from contact with other cells and substrates. The averages and variance of ROT rates of cells at each frequency can be measured during a single operation of the device within 5 min, resulting in the acquisition of ROT spectra. Membrane capacitances and cytoplasm conductivities of hematopoietic cells (K562 cells, Jurkat cells, and THP-1 cells) were determined by fitting ROT spectra obtained experimentally to the curves calculated theoretically. The values determined by using the simultaneous ROT systems well coincided with the values reported previously. The membrane capacitances and cytoplasm conductivities of WEHI-231 cells were firstly determined to be 8.89 ± 0.25 mF m^-2 and 0.28 ± 0.03 S m^-1, respectively. Furthermore, the difference of the ROT rates based on the difference of the electric properties of cells was applied to discriminate the types of cells. The acquisition of rotation rates of multiple cells within a single operation makes the statistical analysis extremely profitable for determining the electrical properties of cells.

Microchip System for Patterning Cells on Different Substrates via Negative Dielectrophoresis

Seeding cells on a planar substrate is the first step to construct artificial tissues in vitro. Cells should be organized into a pattern similar to native tissues and cultured on a favorable substrate to facilitate desirable tissue ingrowth. In this study, a microchip system is designed and fabricated to form cells into a specific pattern on different substrates. The system consists of a microchip with a dot-electrode array for cell trapping and patterning and two motorized platforms for providing relative motions between the microchip and the substrate. AC voltage is supplied to the selected electrodes by using a programmable micro control unit to control relays connected to the dot-electrodes. Nonuniform electric fields for cell manipulation are formed via negative dielectrophoresis (n-DEP). Experiments were conducted to create different patterns by using yeast cells. The effects of different experimental parameters and material properties on the patterning efficiency were evaluated and analyzed. Mechanisms to remove abundant cells surrounding the constructed patterns were also examined. Results show that the microchip system could successfully create cell patterns on different substrates. The use of calcium chloride (CaCl ₂) enhanced the cell adhesiveness on the substrate. The proposed n-DEP patterning technique offers a new method for constructing artificial tissues with high flexibility on cell patterning and selecting substrate to suit application needs.

Rapid Formation of Aggregates with Uniform Numbers of Cells Based on Three-dimensional Dielectrophoresis

We applied a fabrication method for the formation of island organization of cells based on a three-dimensional (3D) device for negative dielectrophoresis (n-DEP) to produce cell aggregates with uniform numbers of cells rapidly and simply. The intersections formed by rotating the interdigitated array (IDA) with two combs of band electrodes on the upper substrate by 90° relative to the IDA with two combs on the lower substrate were prepared in the device. The AC voltage was applied to a comb on the upper substrate and a comb on the lower substrate, while AC voltage with opposite phase was applied to another comb on the upper substrate and another comb on the lower substrate. Cells dispersed randomly were directed toward the intersections with relatively lower electric fields due to n-DEP, which formed by AC voltage applied bands with the identical phase, resulting in the formation of island patterns of cells. The cells accumulated at intersections were promoted to form the cell aggregates due to the close contact together. The production of cell aggregations adhered together was easily found by the dispersion behavior after switching the applied frequency to convert the cellular pattern. When cells were accumulated at the intersections by n-DEP for 45 min, almost accumulations of cells were adhered together, and hence a formations of cell aggregations. By using the present method, we can rapidly and simply fabricate cell aggregations with a uniform number of cells.

Microstructure guided multi-scale liquid patterning on an open surface

Liquid patterning is a quintessential aspect in cell-based screening. While there are a variety of methods to handle microliquids utilizing surface treatments, complex microfluidic systems, and automated dispensing, most of the stated methods are both expensive and difficult to implement. Here, we present a fast multi-scale microliquid-patterning method on an open surface using embossed microstructures without surface modification. Arrays of micropillars can trap microliquids when a bulk drop is swept by an elastic sweeper on polystyrene (PS) substrates. The patterning mechanism on a basic form of a 2 × 2 rectangular array of circular pillars is analyzed theoretically and verified with experiments. Nanoliter-to-microliter volumes of liquids are patterned into various shapes by arranging the pillars based on the analysis. Furthermore, an array of geometrically modified pillars can capture approximately 8000 droplets on a large substrate (55 mm × 55 mm) in one step. Given the simplistic method of wipe patterning, the proposed platform can be utilized in both manual benchtop and automated settings. We will provide proof of concept experiments of single colony isolation using nanoliter-scale liquid patterning and of human angiogenic vessel formation using sequential patterning of microliter-scale liquids.

Stem Cells for Skeletal Muscle Tissue Engineering

Volumetric muscle loss (VML) is a debilitating condition wherein muscle loss overwhelms the body's normal physiological repair mechanism. VML is particularly common among military service members who have sustained war injuries. Because of the high social and medical cost associated with VML and suboptimal current surgical treatments, there is great interest in developing better VML therapies. Skeletal muscle tissue engineering (SMTE) is a promising alternative to traditional VML surgical treatments that use autogenic tissue grafts, and rather uses isolated stem cells with myogenic potential to generate de novo skeletal muscle tissues to treat VML. Satellite cells are the native precursors to skeletal muscle tissue, and are thus the most commonly studied starting source for SMTE. However, satellite cells are difficult to isolate and purify, and it is presently unknown whether they would be a practical source in clinical SMTE applications. Alternative myogenic stem cells, including adipose-derived stem cells, bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells, perivascular stem cells, umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells, and embryonic stem cells, each have myogenic potential and have been identified as possible starting sources for SMTE, although they have yet to be studied in detail for this purpose. These alternative stem cell varieties offer unique advantages and disadvantages that are worth exploring further to advance the SMTE field toward highly functional, safe, and practical VML treatments. The following review summarizes the current state of satellite cell-based SMTE, details the properties and practical advantages of alternative myogenic stem cells, and offers guidance to tissue engineers on how alternative myogenic stem cells can be incorporated into SMTE research.

Controlled placement of multiple CNS cell populations to create complex neuronal cultures

In vitro brain-on-a-chip platforms hold promise in many areas including: drug discovery, evaluating effects of toxicants and pathogens, and disease modelling. A more accurate recapitulation of the intricate organization of the brain in vivo may require a complex in vitro system including organization of multiple neuronal cell types in an anatomically-relevant manner. Most approaches for compartmentalizing or segregating multiple cell types on microfabricated substrates use either permanent physical surface features or chemical surface functionalization. This study describes a removable insert that successfully deposits neurons from different brain areas onto discrete regions of a microelectrode array (MEA) surface, achieving a separation distance of 100 μm. The regional seeding area on the substrate is significantly smaller than current platforms using comparable placement methods. The non-permanent barrier between cell populations allows the cells to remain localized and attach to the substrate while the insert is in place and interact with neighboring regions after removal. The insert was used to simultaneously seed primary rodent hippocampal and cortical neurons onto MEAs. These cells retained their morphology, viability, and function after seeding through the cell insert through 28 days in vitro (DIV). Co-cultures of the two neuron types developed processes and formed integrated networks between the different MEA regions. Electrophysiological data demonstrated characteristic bursting features and waveform shapes that were consistent for each neuron type in both mono- and co-culture. Additionally, hippocampal cells co-cultured with cortical neurons showed an increase in within-burst firing rate (p = 0.013) and percent spikes in bursts (p = 0.002), changes that imply communication exists between the two cell types in co-culture. The cell seeding insert described in this work is a simple but effective method of separating distinct neuronal populations on microfabricated devices, and offers a unique approach to developing the types of complex in vitro cellular environments required for anatomically-relevant brain-on-a-chip devices.

Surface acoustic waves induced micropatterning of cells in gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) hydrogels

Acoustic force patterning is an emerging technology that provides a platform to control the spatial location of cells in a rapid, accurate, yet contactless manner. However, very few studies have been reported on the usage of acoustic force patterning for the rapid arrangement of biological objects, such as cells, in a three-dimensional (3D) environment. In this study, we report on a bio-acoustic force patterning technique, which uses surface acoustic waves (SAWs) for the rapid arrangement of cells within an extracellular matrix-based hydrogel such as gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA). A proof-of-principle was achieved through both simulations and experiments based on the in-house fabricated piezoelectric SAW transducers, which enabled us to explore the effects of various parameters on the performance of the built construct. The SAWs were applied in a fashion that generated standing SAWs (SSAWs) on the substrate, the energy of which subsequently was transferred into the gel, creating a rapid, and contactless alignment of the cells (<10 s, based on the experimental conditions). Following ultraviolet radiation induced photo-crosslinking of the cell encapsulated GelMA pre-polymer solution, the patterned cardiac cells readily spread after alignment in the GelMA hydrogel and demonstrated beating activity in 5-7 days. The described acoustic force assembly method can be utilized not only to control the spatial distribution of the cells inside a 3D construct, but can also preserve the viability and functionality of the patterned cells (e.g. beating rates of cardiac cells). This platform can be potentially employed in a diverse range of applications, whether it is for tissue engineering, in vitro cell studies, or creating 3D biomimetic tissue structures.

Skeletal muscle tissue engineering: methods to form skeletal myotubes and their applications

Skeletal muscle tissue engineering (SMTE) aims to repair or regenerate defective skeletal muscle tissue lost by traumatic injury, tumor ablation, or muscular disease. However, two decades after the introduction of SMTE, the engineering of functional skeletal muscle in the laboratory still remains a great challenge, and numerous techniques for growing functional muscle tissues are constantly being developed. This article reviews the recent findings regarding the methodology and various technical aspects of SMTE, including cell alignment and differentiation. We describe the structure and organization of muscle and discuss the methods for myoblast alignment cultured in vitro. To better understand muscle formation and to enhance the engineering of skeletal muscle, we also address the molecular basics of myogenesis and discuss different methods to induce myoblast differentiation into myotubes. We then provide an overview of different coculture systems involving skeletal muscle cells, and highlight major applications of engineered skeletal muscle tissues. Finally, potential challenges and future research directions for SMTE are outlined.

Cell patterning with a heptagon acoustic tweezer--application in neurite guidance

Accurate control over positioning of cells is a highly desirable feature in tissue engineering applications since it allows, for example, population of substrates in a controlled fashion, rather than relying on random seeding. Current methods to achieve a differential distribution of cells mostly use passive patterning methods to change chemical, mechanical or topographic properties of surfaces, making areas differentially permissive to the adhesion of cells. However, these methods have no ad hoc control over the actual deposition of cells. Direct patterning methods like bioprinting offer good control over cell position, but require sophisticated instrumentation and are often cost- and time-intensive. Here, we present a novel electronically controlled method of generating dynamic cell patterns by acoustic trapping of cells at a user-determined position, with a heptagonal acoustic tweezer device. We demonstrate the capability of the device to create complex patterns of cells using the device's ability to re-position acoustic traps by using a phase shift in the acoustic wave, and by switching the configuration of active piezoelectric transducers. Furthermore, we show that by arranging Schwann cells from neonatal rats in a linear pattern we are able to create Bands of Büngner-like structures on a non-structured surface and demonstrate that these features are able to guide neurite outgrowth from neonatal rat dorsal root ganglia.

Cell pairing using microwell array electrodes based on dielectrophoresis

We report a simple device with an array of 10,000 (100 × 100) microwells for producing vertical pairs of cells in individual microwells with a rapid manipulation based on positive dielectrophoresis (p-DEP). The areas encircled with micropoles which fabricated from an electrical insulating photosensitive polymer were used as microwells. The width (14 μm) and depth (25 μm) of the individual microwells restricted the size to two vertically aligned cells. The DEP device for the manipulation of cells consisted of a microfluidic channel with an upper indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode and a lower microwell array electrode fabricated on an ITO substrate. Mouse myeloma cells stained in green were trapped within 1 s in the microwells by p-DEP by applying an alternating current voltage between the upper ITO and the lower microwell array electrode. The cells were retained inside the wells even after switching off the voltage and washing with a fluidic flow. Other myeloma cells stained in blue were then trapped in the microwells occupied by the cells stained in green to form the vertical cell pairing in the microwells. Cells stained in different colors were paired within only 1 min and a pairing efficiency of over 50% was achieved.

Cell pairing using a dielectrophoresis-based device with interdigitated array electrodes

We present a chip device with an array of 900 gourd-shaped microwells designed to pair single cells of different types. The device consists of interdigitated array (IDA) electrodes and uses positive dielectrophoresis to trap cells within the microwells. Each side of a microwell is on a different comb of the IDA, so that cells of different types are trapped on opposite sides of the microwells, leading to close cell pairing. Using this device, a large number of cell pairs can be formed easily and rapidly, making it a highly attractive tool for controllable cell pairing in a range of biological applications.

Probing cell-cell communication with microfluidic devices

Intercellular communication is a mechanism that regulates critical events during embryogenesis and coordinates signalling within differentiated tissues, such as the nervous and cardiovascular systems. To perform specialized activities, these tissues utilize the rapid exchange of signals among networks that, while are composed of different cell types, are nevertheless functionally coupled. Errors in cellular communication can lead to varied deleterious effects such as degenerative and autoimmune diseases. However, the intercellular communication network is extremely complex in multicellular organisms making isolation of the functional unit and study of basic mechanisms technically challenging. New experimental methods to examine mechanisms of intercellular communication among cultured cells could provide insight into physiological and pathological processes alike. Recent developments in microfluidic technology allow miniaturized and integrated devices to perform intercellular communication experiments on-chip. Microfluidics have many advantages, including the ability to replicate in vitro the chemical, mechanical, and physical cellular microenvironment of tissues with precise spatial and temporal control combined with dynamic characterization, high throughput, scalability and reproducibility. In this Focus article, we highlight some of the recent work and advances in the application of microfluidics to the study of mammalian intercellular communication with particular emphasis on cell contact and soluble factor mediated communication. In addition, we provide some insights into likely direction of the future developments in this field.

Line Patterning with Microparticles at Different Positions in a Single Device Based on Negative Dielectrophoresis

We report on control of line pattern positioning with particles fabricated by negative dielectrophoresis (n-DEP) using the applied intensity and phase of an AC electric field. Line patterns were fabricated in a microfluidic device consisting of upper conductive indium-tin-oxide (ITO) substrates and lower ITOinterdigitated microband array (IDA) electrodes used as the template. A 6-µm-diameter polystyrene particles suspension was introduced into the device between upper ITO and the bottom ITO-IDA substrate. An AC electric signal of a typically 20 peak-to-peak voltage and 1.0 MHz was then applied to upper ITO and bands on lower IDA, resulting in the formation of line patterns with low electric-field gradient regions. AC voltage was applied to bands A and B on lower IDA with the opposite phase and the same frequency and intensity. When the signal identical to band A was applied to upper ITO, particles were aligned above band A because relatively lower electric fields were produced in these regions. In contrast, the application of a signal identical to band B formed line patterns with particles aligned above band B due to the generation of a strong electric field between band A and upper ITO and the disappearance of the strong electric field between band B and upper ITO. The decrease in applied intensity to upper ITO shifted the accumulated position of particles to the center between bands A and B because of the balance of electric fields generated between band A or B and upper ITO. We thus fabricated line patterns with particles at desired positions in the fluidic device.

Hybridoma technologies for antibody production

Hybridoma technology features effective usage of innate functions of both immune cells and cancers, allowing production of hybridoma cells, which continuously generate monoclonal antibodies specific to antigens of interest. For standard generation of hybridoma cells, B lymphocytes must be somatically fused with myeloma cells using various technologies. However, the methods generally do not necessarily result in selective fusion of target B lymphocytes with myeloma cells. To overcome this problem, we have developed a new hybridoma technology that involves preselection of B lymphocytes with target antigens based on immunoglobulin receptors and selective fusion of B cell-myeloma cell complexes with electrical pulses. The advanced methodology, termed B-cell targeting, multitargeting and stereospecific targeting, may be applicable to simultaneous production of monoclonal antibodies, selective production of stereospecific monoclonal antibodies, and also to efficient generation of human monoclonal antibodies for clinical purposes.

Use of negative dielectrophoresis for selective elution of protein-bound particles

In this paper with the aid of negative dielectrophoresis force in conjunction with shear force and at an optimal sodium hydroxide concentration we demonstrated a switchlike functionality to elute specifically bound beads from the surface. At an optimal flow rate and sodium hydroxide concentration, negative dielectrophoresis turned on results in bead detachment, whereas when negative dielectrophoresis is off, the beads remain attached. This platform offers the potential for performing a bead-based multiplexed assay where in a single channel various regions are immobilized with a different antibody, each targeting a different antigen. To develop the proof of concept and to demonstrate the switchlike functionality in eluting specifically bound beads from the surface we looked at two different protein interactions. We chose interactions that were in the same order of magnitude in strength as typical antibody-antigen interactions. The first was protein G-IgG interaction, and the second was the interaction between anti-IgG and IgG.

Motion, deformation and aggregation of two cells in a microchannel by dielectrophoresis

The dynamic behavior of two cells in a microchannel subject to a nonuniform electric field is simulated numerically by a two-fluid model in the present work. Owing to the presence of nonuniform electric field, usually the cells are polarized and then the dielectrophoresis occurs. The dielectrophoretic force induces the movement and deformation of cells in the microchannel. Meanwhile, the cell membrane develops a mechanical force to resist the cell deformation. In addition, the intercellular interaction becomes dominant when the cell-cell distance is short enough such that an intercellular force is generated. The three forces are taken into account in the two-fluid model to characterize the dynamic behavior of cells. In order to validate the present model, the cell deformation is calculated and compared with the experimental results published previously, where a quantitative agreement is achieved. It is demonstrated by simulations that the cell conductivity mainly determines the motion and deformation of cells at low frequency. Instead of the cell conductivity however, the cell permittivity plays a critical and leading role at high frequency. These phenomena are consistent with the experimental observations. Furthermore, the intercellular interaction may cause the change in the dynamic behavior of cells.

Cell patterning using a template of microstructured organosilane layer fabricated by vacuum ultraviolet light lithography

Micropatterning techniques have become increasingly important in cellular biology. Cell patterning is achieved by various methods. Photolithography is one of the most popular methods, and several light sources (e.g., excimer lasers and mercury lamps) are used for that purpose. Vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) light that can be produced by an excimer lamp is advantageous for fabricating material patterns, since it can decompose organic materials directly and efficiently without photoresist or photosensitive materials. Despite the advantages, applications of VUV light to pattern biological materials are few. We have investigated cell patterning by using a template of a microstructured organosilane layer fabricated by VUV lithography. We first made a template of a microstructured organosilane layer by VUV lithography. Cell adhesive materials (poly(d-lysine) and polyethyleneimine) were chemically immobilized on the organosilane template, producing a cell adhesive material pattern. Primary rat cardiac and neuronal cells were successfully patterned by culturing them on the pattern substrate. Long-term culturing was attained for up to two weeks for cardiac cells and two months for cortex cells. We have discussed the reproducibility of cell patterning and made suggestions to improve it.

Dielectrophoresis in microfluidics technology

Dielectrophoresis (DEP) is the movement of a particle in a non-uniform electric field due to the interaction of the particle's dipole and spatial gradient of the electric field. DEP is a subtle solution to manipulate particles and cells at microscale due to its favorable scaling for the reduced size of the system. DEP has been utilized for many applications in microfluidic systems. In this review, a detailed analysis of the modeling of DEP-based manipulation of the particles is provided, and the recent applications regarding the particle manipulation in microfluidic systems (mainly the published works between 2007 and 2010) are presented.

The construction of an individually addressable cell array for selective patterning and electroporation

In basic cell biology research and drug discovery, it is important to rapidly introduce genes, proteins or drug compounds into cells without permanent damage. Here, we report a three dimensional SU-8 micro-well structure sandwiched with an indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode-covered slide from the top and an individually addressable array of microelectrodes on the bottom to allow parallel delivery of exogenous molecules into various cells in a spatially specific manner. A positive dielectrophoretic force was selectively applied by energizing appropriate electrodes to capture the dispersed cells at the bottom electrode, while the micro-wells were designed to confine cells in situ when the positive dielectrophoretic force is removed. The combination of spatial positive dielectrophoresis (pDEP) and micro-wells made it possible to construct cell microarrays with specific patterns. Once the cells become attached to the electrodes, different plasmids can be introduced sequentially for selective electroporation. The present cell arraying-assisted electroporation chip integrates a pDEP-assisted cell positioning function with selective electroporation to provide a simple and efficient method for gene transfer. This platform is ideal for high throughput screening of compounds in parallel and thus holds promise for applications in cellular and molecular research.

Open-access and multi-directional electroosmotic flow chip for positioning heterotypic cells

We propose a novel method of cell positioning using electroosmotic flow (EOF) to analyze cell-cell interactions. The EOF chip has an open-to-air configuration, is equipped with four electrodes to induce multi-directional EOF, and allows access of tools for liquid handling and of physical probes for cell measurements. Evaluation of the flow within this chip indicated that it controlled hydrodynamic transport of cells, in terms of both speed and direction. We also evaluated cell viability after EOF application and determined appropriate conditions for cell positioning. Two cells were successively positioned in pocket-like microstructures, one in each micropocket, by controlling the EOF direction. As an experimental demonstration, we observed contact interactions between two individual cells through gap junction channels. The EOF chip should provide ways to elucidate various cell-cell interactions between heterotypic cells.

Engineering systems for the generation of patterned co-cultures for controlling cell-cell interactions

BACKGROUND

Inside the body, cells lie in direct contact or in close proximity to other cell types in a tightly controlled architecture that often regulates the resulting tissue function. Therefore, tissue engineering constructs that aim to reproduce the architecture and the geometry of tissues will benefit from methods of controlling cell-cell interactions with microscale resolution.

SCOPE OF THE REVIEW

We discuss the use of microfabrication technologies for generating patterned co-cultures. In addition, we categorize patterned co-culture systems by cell type and discuss the implications of regulating cell-cell interactions in the resulting biological function of the tissues.

MAJOR CONCLUSIONS

Patterned co-cultures are a useful tool for fabricating tissue engineered constructs and for studying cell-cell interactions in vitro, because they can be used to control the degree of homotypic and heterotypic cell-cell contact. In addition, this approach can be manipulated to elucidate important factors involved in cell-matrix interactions.

GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE

Patterned co-culture strategies hold significant potential to develop biomimetic structures for tissue engineering. It is expected that they would create opportunities to develop artificial tissues in the future. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Nanotechnologies - Emerging Applications in Biomedicine.

Fabrication of Line and Grid Patterns with Cells Based on Negative Dielectrophoresis

The rapid, direct fabrication of two-dimensional line patterns with biological cells in a culture medium we report here is based on negative dielectrophoresis (n-DEP). It easily creates a versatile cell micropattern without specially pretreating culture slides. When an alternating electric field, typically 1 MHz, was applied to an InterDigitated band Array (IDA) electrode with four subunits, n-DEP force directs cells toward a weaker of electric field strength region. Cells aligned above attracted bands within 1min. Applying AC voltage for 5 min enables cells to adhere to the cell culture slide. When 12 Vpp is applied, 45-65% cells remain in line after the device is washed and disassembled. Resulting adsorbed cell lines were immersed in a medium to culture cells. n-DEP patterning did not significantly damage cells for growth because of the cell number increased by growth. We fabricated cell grid patterns to demonstrate formation of different patterns. After the device was disassembled and excess cells removed, the culture slide was reassembled with the IDA electrode and was rotated 90° to the previous setup. Second cells were patterned in lines the same way, forming grid patterns on the slide. Micropatterns aligned cells at desired locations enabling a biomimetic structure to be generated with biological functions and to detect cellular response to many kinds of drugs for simultaneous high-throughput screening.

Dielectrophoresis-based cell manipulation using electrodes on a reusable printed circuit board

Particle manipulation based on dielectrophoresis (DEP) can be a versatile and useful tool in lab-on-chip systems for a wide range of cell patterning and tissue engineering applications. Even though there are extensive reports on the use of DEP for cell patterning applications, the development of approaches that make DEP even more affordable and common place is still desirable. In this study, we present the use of interdigitated electrodes on a printed circuit board (PCB) that can be reused to manipulate and position HeLa cells and polystyrene particles over 100 microm thick glass cover slips using DEP. An open-well or a closed microfluidic channel, both made of PDMS, was placed on the glass coverslip, which was then placed directly over the PCB. An AC voltage was applied to the electrodes on the PCB to induce DEP on the particles through the thin glass coverslip. The HeLa cells patterned with DEP were subsequently grown to confirm the lack of any adverse affects from the electric fields. This alternative and reusable platform for DEP particle manipulation can provide a convenient and rapid method for prototyping a DEP-based lab-on-chip system, cost-sensitive lab-on-chip applications, and a wide range of tissue engineering applications.