We acknowledge financial support from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CHRPJ 323533-06), the Ontario Graduate Scholarship program to CM, and the Canada Research Chairs in Micro and Nano Engineering Systems to YS, and in Mechanobiology to CAS.

A. Device description and operation
Devices are fabricated using multilayer soft lithography1 in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), and are capable of simultaneously generating a range of mechanical conditions in individual cell culture locations across the microfabricated array. In this protocol, the steps to fabricate an array of pneumatically-actuated microposts are first described, followed by steps to modify the device to enable mechanically dynamic culture in both two-dimensional (...

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V. a. n., Motsegood, K., Beebe, D. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Three-dimensional+micro-channel+fabrication+in+polydimethylsiloxane+(PDMS)+elastomer.">Three-dimensional micro-channel fabrication in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) elastomer.</a> Journal of Microelectromechanical Systems. 9, 76-81 (2000).</li><li>Moraes, C., Sun, Y., Simmons, C. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Solving+the+shrinkage-induced+PDMS+alignment+registration+issue+in+multilayer+soft+lithography.">Solving the shrinkage-induced PDMS alignment registration issue in multilayer soft lithography.</a> J. Micromech. Microeng. 19, 065015-065015 (2009).</li><li>Haubert, K., Drier, T., Beebe, D. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=PDMS+bonding+by+means+of+a+portable,+low-cost+corona+system.">PDMS bonding by means of a portable, low-cost corona system.</a> Lab on a chip. 6, 1548-1549 (2006).</li><li>Bongaerts, J., Fourtouni, K., Stokes, J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Soft-tribology:+Lubrication+in+compliant+PDMS-PDMS+contact.">Soft-tribology: Lubrication in compliant PDMS-PDMS contact.</a> Tribology International. 40, 1531-1542 (2007).</li><li>Moraes, C., Chen, J. H., Sun, Y., Simmons, C. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Microfabricated+arrays+for+high-throughput+screening+of+cellular+response+to+cyclic+substrate+deformation.">Microfabricated arrays for high-throughput screening of cellular response to cyclic substrate deformation.</a> Lab on a chip. 10, 227-234 (2010).</li><li>Liu, V. A., Bhatia, S. N. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Three-dimensional+photopatterning+of+hydrogels+containing+living+cells.">Three-dimensional photopatterning of hydrogels containing living cells.</a> Biomedical Microdevices. 4, 257-266 (2002).</li><li>Hahn, M. S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Photolithographic+patterning+of+polyethylene+glycol+hydrogels.">Photolithographic patterning of polyethylene glycol hydrogels.</a> Biomaterials. 27, 2519-2524 (2006).</li><li>Moraes, C., Wang, G., Sun, Y., Simmons, C. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=A+microfabricated+platform+for+high-throughput+unconfined+compression+of+micropatterned+biomaterial+arrays.">A microfabricated platform for high-throughput unconfined compression of micropatterned biomaterial arrays.</a> Biomaterials. 31, 577-584 (2010).</li><li>Wipff, P. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+covalent+attachment+of+adhesion+molecules+to+silicone+membranes+for+cell+stretching+applications.">The covalent attachment of adhesion molecules to silicone membranes for cell stretching applications.</a> Biomaterials. 30, 1781-1789 (2009).</li><li>Moraes, C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Integrating+polyurethane+culture+substrates+into+poly(dimethylsiloxane)+microdevices.">Integrating polyurethane culture substrates into poly(dimethylsiloxane) microdevices.</a> Biomaterials. 30, 5241-5250 (2009).</li><li>Ifkovits, J. L., Burdick, J. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Review:+photopolymerizable+and+degradable+biomaterials+for+tissue+engineering+applications.">Review: photopolymerizable and degradable biomaterials for tissue engineering applications.</a> Tissue engineering. 13, 2369-2385 (2007).</li></ol>

No conflicts of interest declared.

Though conceptually simple, device fabrication does take some experimental skill and practice. Particularly in the case of 2D cell culture, alignment of the multiple layers in the device can be challenging, especially over a large-area array. Practically speaking, we can reliably achieve a 100% alignment success rate using devices with 50 &mu;m of tolerance in spacing between adjacent features in multiple layers. We have also successfully demonstrated alignment with tolerances as low as 15 &mu;m, but the alignment tim...

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		<div>
		<table border="1">
		<thead>
		<tr>
		<th>Material Name</th>
		<th>Type</th>
		<th>Company</th>
		<th>Catalogue Number</th>
		<th>Comment</th>
		</tr>
		</thead>
		<tbody>
		
<tr>
<td>Sylgard 184 PDMS Monomer and Crosslinker Kit</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Dow Corning</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>SU-8 masters</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Silanization agent: (tridecafluoro-1, 1, 2, 2-tetrahydrooctyl)-1-trichlorosilane</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>United Chemical Technologies</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Foam pads</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Craft supply stores, 1-2 mm thick</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Overhead inkjet transparencies</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Grand &amp; Toy</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Plexiglass plates</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>C-clamp</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>hardware store</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Micromanipulator system</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Siskiyou</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Custom-made vaccum mount</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Vision system, Navitar 12x zoom</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Navitar</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Connecting tubes</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>VWR International</td>
<td>Clay Adam Intramedic PE190</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Blunt 18G needles</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Smallparts.com / Amazon Inc.</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Eccentric diaphragm micropump</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Schwarzer Precision</td>
<td>SP 500 EC-LC4.5V DC</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Solenoid valves</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Pneumadyne</td>
<td>S10MM-30-12-3</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Solenoid manifold</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Pneumadyne</td>
<td>MSV10-1</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Function generator</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>3-(trimethoxysilyl) propyl methacrylate</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Sigma</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Polyethylene glycol diacrylate 3.4 kDa</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Laysan Bio</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Polyethylene glycol 8 kDa</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Sigma</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Irgacure 2959</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Ciba Specialty Chemicals</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>1-vinyl-2-pyrolidinone</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Sigma</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Standard cell culture reagents</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>		</tbody>
		</table>
		</div>

microfabricated platforms for mechanically dynamic cell culture

The ability to systematically probe in vitro cellular response to combinations of mechanobiological stimuli for tissue engineering, drug discovery or fundamental cell biology studies is limited by current bioreactor technologies, which cannot simultaneously apply a variety of mechanical stimuli to cultured cells. In order to address this issue, we have developed a series of microfabricated platforms designed to screen for the effects of mechanical stimuli in a high-throughput format. In this protocol, we demonstrate the fabrication of a microactuator array of vertically displaced posts on which the technology is based, and further demonstrate how this base technology can be modified to conduct high-throughput mechanically dynamic cell culture in both two-dimensional and three-dimensional culture paradigms.

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Microfabricated Platforms for Mechanically Dynamic Cell Culture at JoVE.com

Microfabricated Platforms for Mechanically Dynamic Cell Culture

In this protocol, we demonstrate the fabrication of a microactuator array of vertically displaced posts on which the technology is based, and how this base technology can be modified to conduct high-throughput mechanically dynamic cell culture in both two-dimensional and three-dimensional culture paradigms.

The ability to systematically probe in vitro cellular response to combinations of mechanobiological stimuli for tissue engineering, drug discovery or ...

microfabricated-platforms-for-mechanically-dynamic-cell-culture

Research

JoVE Journal

Bioengineering

13.5K visualizações.  University of Toronto. Neste protocolo, demonstramos a fabricação de uma matriz microactuator de posts verticalmente deslocadas em que a tecnologia é baseada, e como essa tecnologia base pode ser modificado para conduzir alto rendimento de cultura de células mecanicamente dinâmica em ambos cultura bidimensional e tridimensional paradigmas.