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Nguyen M, Tong A, Volosov M, Madhavarapu S, Freeman J, Voronov R. Addressable microfluidics technology for non-sacrificial analysis of biomaterial implants in vivo. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2023; 17:024103. [PMID: 37035100 PMCID: PMC10076065 DOI: 10.1063/5.0137932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Tissue regeneration-promoting and drug-eluting biomaterials are commonly implanted into animals as a part of late-stage testing before committing to human trials required by the government. Because the trials are very expensive (e.g., they can cost over a billion U.S. dollars), it is critical for companies to have the best possible characterization of the materials' safety and efficacy before it goes into a human. However, the conventional approaches to biomaterial evaluation necessitate sacrificial analysis (i.e., euthanizing a different animal for measuring each time point and retrieving the implant for histological analysis), due to the inability to monitor how the host tissues respond to the presence of the material in situ. This is expensive, inaccurate, discontinuous, and unethical. In contrast, our manuscript presents a novel microfluidic platform potentially capable of performing non-disruptive fluid manipulations within the spatial constraints of an 8 mm diameter critical calvarial defect-a "gold standard" model for testing engineered bone tissue scaffolds in living animals. In particular, here, addressable microfluidic plumbing is specifically adapted for the in vivo implantation into a simulated rat's skull, and is integrated with a combinatorial multiplexer for a better scaling of many time points and/or biological signal measurements. The collected samples (modeled as food dyes for proof of concept) are then transported, stored, and analyzed ex vivo, which adds previously-unavailable ease and flexibility. Furthermore, care is taken to maintain a fluid equilibrium in the simulated animal's head during the sampling to avoid damage to the host and to the implant. Ultimately, future implantation protocols and technology improvements are envisioned toward the end of the manuscript. Although the bone tissue engineering application was chosen as a proof of concept, with further work, the technology is potentially versatile enough for other in vivo sampling applications. Hence, the successful outcomes of its advancement should benefit companies developing, testing, and producing vaccines and drugs by accelerating the translation of advanced cell culturing tech to the clinical market. Moreover, the nondestructive monitoring of the in vivo environment can lower animal experiment costs and provide data-gathering continuity superior to the conventional destructive analysis. Lastly, the reduction of sacrifices stemming from the use of this technology would make future animal experiments more ethical.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minh Nguyen
- Otto H. York Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology Newark College of Engineering, 161 Warren Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102, USA
| | - Anh Tong
- Otto H. York Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology Newark College of Engineering, 161 Warren Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102, USA
| | - Mark Volosov
- Helen and John C. Hartmann Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology Newark College of Engineering, Suite 200 University Heights, Newark, New Jersey 07102, USA
| | - Shreya Madhavarapu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers University, 599 Taylor Road, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA
| | - Joseph Freeman
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers University, 599 Taylor Road, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA
| | - Roman Voronov
- Author to whom correspondence should be addressed:. Tel.: +1 973 642 4762; Fax:+1 973 596 8436
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Tong A, Pham QL, Shah V, Naik A, Abatemarco P, Voronov R. Automated Addressable Microfluidic Device for Minimally Disruptive Manipulation of Cells and Fluids within Living Cultures. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2020; 6:1809-1820. [DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.9b01969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Anh Tong
- Otto H. York Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark College of Engineering, 161 Warren Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102, United States
| | - Quang Long Pham
- Otto H. York Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark College of Engineering, 161 Warren Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, 4 Colby Street, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
| | - Vatsal Shah
- Department of Computer Science, Ying Wu College of Computing Sciences, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark College of Engineering, Suite 3500, University Heights, Newark, New Jersey 07102, United States
- Federated Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark College of Engineering, Suite 204, University Heights, Newark, New Jersey 07102, United States
| | - Akshay Naik
- Helen and John C. Hartmann Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark College of Engineering, Suite 200, University Heights, Newark, New Jersey 07102, United States
| | - Paul Abatemarco
- Otto H. York Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark College of Engineering, 161 Warren Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102, United States
| | - Roman Voronov
- Otto H. York Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark College of Engineering, 161 Warren Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark College of Engineering, 323 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Newark, New Jersey 07103, United States
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Grenci G, Bertocchi C, Ravasio A. Integrating Microfabrication into Biological Investigations: the Benefits of Interdisciplinarity. MICROMACHINES 2019; 10:E252. [PMID: 30995747 PMCID: PMC6523848 DOI: 10.3390/mi10040252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2019] [Revised: 04/08/2019] [Accepted: 04/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The advent of micro and nanotechnologies, such as microfabrication, have impacted scientific research and contributed to meaningful real-world applications, to a degree seen during historic technological revolutions. Some key areas benefitting from the invention and advancement of microfabrication platforms are those of biological and biomedical sciences. Modern therapeutic approaches, involving point-of-care, precision or personalized medicine, are transitioning from the experimental phase to becoming the standard of care. At the same time, biological research benefits from the contribution of microfluidics at every level from single cell to tissue engineering and organoids studies. The aim of this commentary is to describe, through proven examples, the interdisciplinary process used to develop novel biological technologies and to emphasize the role of technical knowledge in empowering researchers who are specialized in a niche area to look beyond and innovate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianluca Grenci
- Mechanobiology Institute (MBI), National University of Singapore, Singapore 117411, Singapore.
- Biomedical Engineering Department, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117583, Singapore.
| | - Cristina Bertocchi
- Department of Physiology, School of Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 8330025, Chile.
| | - Andrea Ravasio
- Institute for Biological and Medical Engineering, Schools of Engineering, Medicine and Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 7820436, Chile.
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Single-Cell Patterning Based on Immunocapture and a Surface Modified Substrate. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2018. [DOI: 10.3390/app8112152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Micropatterning technology offers powerful methods for biological analyses at the molecular level, enabling the investigation of cell heterogeneities, as well as high throughput detection. We herein propose an approach for single-cell patterning. The substrate was prepared using micro fabrication and surface modification processes, and the patterning template was prepared using bovine serum albumin and streptavidin, which can be employed for the patterning of any biological molecules containing biotin. Subsequent to photolithography, etching, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), and polyethylene glycol (PEG) treatment, the optimized patterns were obtained with high accuracy, strong contrast, and good repeatability, thus providing good foundations for the subsequent single-cell patterning. The surface passivation method was proven effective, preventing unwanted binding of the antibodies and cells. Based on this streptavidin template, the specific binding between the biotinylated antibodies and the antigens expressed on the surface of the cells was enabled, and we successfully achieved single-cell patterning with a single-cell capture rate of 92%. This single-cell array offers an effective method in the investigation of cell heterogeneity and drug screening. Further, these methods can be used in the final step for the screening and enrichment of certain cells, such as circulating tumor cells.
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Pham QL, Tong NAN, Mathew A, Basuray S, Voronov RS. A compact low-cost low-maintenance open architecture mask aligner for fabrication of multilayer microfluidics devices. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2018; 12:044119. [PMID: 30174777 PMCID: PMC6105338 DOI: 10.1063/1.5035282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2018] [Accepted: 07/31/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
A custom-built mask aligner (CBMA), which fundamentally covers all the key features of a commercial mask aligner, while being low cost and light weight and having low power consumption and high accuracy, is constructed. The CBMA is composed of a custom high fidelity light emitting diode light source, a vacuum chuck, a mask holder, high-precision translation and rotation stages, and high resolution digital microscopes. The total cost of the system is under $7500, which is over ten times cheaper than a comparable commercial system. It produces a collimated ultraviolet illumination of 1.8-2.0 mW cm-2 over an area of a standard 4-in. wafer, at the plane of photoresist exposure, and the alignment accuracy is characterized to be <3 μm, which is sufficient for most microfluidic applications. Moreover, this manuscript provides detailed descriptions of the procedures needed to fabricate multilayered master molds using our CBMA. Finally, the capabilities of the CBMA are demonstrated by fabricating two- and three-layer masters for micro-scale devices, commonly encountered in biomicrofluidic applications. The former is a flow-free chemical gradient generator, and the latter is an addressable microfluidic stencil. Scanning electron microscopy is used to confirm that the master molds contain the intended features of different heights.
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Affiliation(s)
- Q. L. Pham
- Otto H. York Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, New Jersey 07102, USA
| | - N. A. N. Tong
- Otto H. York Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, New Jersey 07102, USA
| | - A. Mathew
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, New Jersey 07102, USA
| | - S. Basuray
- Otto H. York Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, New Jersey 07102, USA
| | - R. S. Voronov
- Otto H. York Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, New Jersey 07102, USA
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Badea A, McCracken JM, Tillmaand EG, Kandel ME, Oraham AW, Mevis MB, Rubakhin SS, Popescu G, Sweedler JV, Nuzzo RG. 3D-Printed pHEMA Materials for Topographical and Biochemical Modulation of Dorsal Root Ganglion Cell Response. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2017; 9:30318-30328. [PMID: 28813592 PMCID: PMC5605921 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.7b06742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Understanding and controlling the interactions occurring between cells and engineered materials are central challenges toward progress in the development of biomedical devices. In this work, we describe materials for direct ink writing (DIW), an extrusion-based type of 3D printing, that embed a custom synthetic protein (RGD-PDL) within the microfilaments of 3D-hydrogel scaffolds to modify these interactions and differentially direct tissue-level organization of complex cell populations in vitro. The RGD-PDL is synthesized by modifying poly-d-lysine (PDL) to varying extents with peptides containing the integrin-binding motif Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD). Compositional gradients of the RGD-PDL presented by both patterned and thin-film poly(2-hydroxyethyl) methacrylate (pHEMA) substrates allow the patterning of cell-growth compliance in a grayscale form. The surface chemistry-dependent guidance of cell growth on the RGD-PDL-modified pHEMA materials is demonstrated using a model NIH-3T3 fibroblast cell line. The formation of a more complex cellular system-organotypic primary murine dorsal root ganglion (DRG)-in culture is also achieved on these scaffolds, where distinctive forms of cell growth and migration guidance are seen depending on their RGD-PDL content and topography. This experimental platform for the study of physicochemical factors on the formation and the reorganization of organotypic cultures offers useful capabilities for studies in tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, and diagnostics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adina Badea
- School of Chemical Sciences, University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, United States of America
| | - Joselle M. McCracken
- School of Chemical Sciences, University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, United States of America
| | - Emily G. Tillmaand
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, United States of America
| | - Mikhail E. Kandel
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, United States of America
| | - Aaron W. Oraham
- School of Chemical Sciences, University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, United States of America
| | - Molly B. Mevis
- School of Chemical Sciences, University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, United States of America
| | - Stanislav S. Rubakhin
- School of Chemical Sciences, University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, United States of America
| | - Gabriel Popescu
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, United States of America
| | - Jonathan V. Sweedler
- School of Chemical Sciences, University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, United States of America
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, United States of America
| | - Ralph G. Nuzzo
- School of Chemical Sciences, University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, United States of America
- School of Chemical Science and Engineering, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
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Du K, Ding J, Liu Y, Wathuthanthri I, Choi CH. Stencil Lithography for Scalable Micro- and Nanomanufacturing. MICROMACHINES 2017. [PMCID: PMC6189734 DOI: 10.3390/mi8040131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
In this paper, we review the current development of stencil lithography for scalable micro- and nanomanufacturing as a resistless and reusable patterning technique. We first introduce the motivation and advantages of stencil lithography for large-area micro- and nanopatterning. Then we review the progress of using rigid membranes such as SiNx and Si as stencil masks as well as stacking layers. We also review the current use of flexible membranes including a compliant SiNx membrane with springs, polyimide film, polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) layer, and photoresist-based membranes as stencil lithography masks to address problems such as blurring and non-planar surface patterning. Moreover, we discuss the dynamic stencil lithography technique, which significantly improves the patterning throughput and speed by moving the stencil over the target substrate during deposition. Lastly, we discuss the future advancement of stencil lithography for a resistless, reusable, scalable, and programmable nanolithography method.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Du
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ 07030, USA; (K.D.); (J.D.); (Y.L.); (I.W.)
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Junjun Ding
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ 07030, USA; (K.D.); (J.D.); (Y.L.); (I.W.)
| | - Yuyang Liu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ 07030, USA; (K.D.); (J.D.); (Y.L.); (I.W.)
| | - Ishan Wathuthanthri
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ 07030, USA; (K.D.); (J.D.); (Y.L.); (I.W.)
- Northrop Grumman Mission Systems, Advanced Technology Labs, Linthicum, MD 21090, USA
| | - Chang-Hwan Choi
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ 07030, USA; (K.D.); (J.D.); (Y.L.); (I.W.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-201-216-5579
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