Name: custom engineered tissue culture molds from laser-etched masters
Uploaded: 2018-05-21T13:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Custom Engineered Tissue Culture Molds from Laser-etched Masters at JoVE.com

The authors acknowledge funding from NIH R00 HL115123 and Brown University School of Engineering. They are also grateful to the Brown Design Workshop and Chris Bull for training and support with the laser cutter.

1. Create the Vector Format Master Mold Designs
<ol>
	<li>Assemble the desired mold geometry in vector format using a vector graphics program (see Materials, Equipment, and Software Table). Select File| New and create a canvas of appropriate dimensions with RGB color format. Create the desired geometry using the shape tools in the left-hand panel: enter the desired dimensions at the top of the window (click the transform button at the top if not initially visible) to precisely define s...

<ol>
	<li>Qin, D., Xia, Y., Whitesides, G. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Soft+lithography+for+micro-+and+nanoscale+patterning.">Soft lithography for micro- and nanoscale patterning.</a> Nat. Protoc. 5, 491 (2010).</li><li>Rogers, J. A., Nuzzo, R. G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Recent+progress+in+soft+lithography.">Recent progress in soft lithography.</a> Mater. Today. 8, 50-56 (2005).</li><li>Whitesides, G. M., Ostuni, E., Takayama, S., Jiang, X., Ingber, D. E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Soft+Lithography+in+Biology+and+Biochemistry.">Soft Lithography in Biology and Biochemistry.</a> Annu. Rev. Biomed. Eng. 3, 335-373 (2001).</li><li>Isiksacan, Z., Guler, M. 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Protoc. 8, 162-175 (2013).</li><li>Boxshall, K., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Simple+surface+treatments+to+modify+protein+adsorption+and+cell+attachment+properties+within+a+poly(dimethylsiloxane)+micro-bioreactor.">Simple surface treatments to modify protein adsorption and cell attachment properties within a poly(dimethylsiloxane) micro-bioreactor.</a> Surf. Interface Anal. 38, 198-201 (2006).</li><li>Pins, G. D., Christiansen, D. L., Patel, R., Silver, F. H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Self-assembly+of+collagen+fibers.+Influence+of+fibrillar+alignment+and+decorin+on+mechanical+properties.">Self-assembly of collagen fibers. Influence of fibrillar alignment and decorin on mechanical properties.</a> Biophys. J. 73, 2164-2172 (1997).</li><li>Pipan, C. M., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Effects+of+antifibrinolytic+agents+on+the+life+span+of+fibrin+sealant.">Effects of antifibrinolytic agents on the life span of fibrin sealant.</a> J. Surg. Res. 53, 402-407 (1992).</li><li>Roberts, M. A., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Stromal+Cells+in+Dense+Collagen+Promote+Cardiomyocyte+and+Microvascular+Patterning+in+Engineered+Human+Heart+Tissue.">Stromal Cells in Dense Collagen Promote Cardiomyocyte and Microvascular Patterning in Engineered Human Heart Tissue.</a> Tissue Eng. Part A. 22, 633-644 (2016).</li><li>Ye, K. Y., Sullivan, K. E., Black, L. 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Customized PDMS mold geometries that are compatible with tissue culture have great utility in tuning important engineered tissue properties, such as cell alignment, diffusion rate, and effective stiffness. Additionally, these molds are very useful for preparing tissues for analysis applications in which geometry is important, such as mechanical testing16,17. Preparing these devices from laser cut negative master molds offers a rapid, facile, and low-cost method o...

Over the past two decades, soft lithography has been used extensively as a fabrication technique to support scientific research, particularly in the fields of microfluidics, materials research, and tissue engineering1,2,3. Replica molding, in which an object with a desired shape is created from a negative master mold, offers a convenient and low-cost method of producing positive PDMS replicates that can be used for casting shaped hydrogels. However, the required negative master molds are typically produced using microfabrication techniques that are expensive, time-consuming, limited in size, and require clean room space and sophisticated equipment. While 3D printing offers a potential alternative, its utility is somewhat limited due to the resolution limits of lower-cost printers and the chemical interactions between common 3D printer polymers and PDMS that can inhibit curing.
Laser cutter systems capable of both cutting and etching materials such as plastic, wood, glass, and metal have recently become drastically less expensive and therefore more accessible for fabricating research tools. Commercial grade laser cutters are capable of fabricating objects on the centimeter scale with minimum features smaller than 25 &#181;m, and further require minimal training, expertise, and time to use. While laser ablation of PDMS has been previously used in the fabrication of microfluidics devices, to our knowledge no manuscript has described a process by which millimeter and centimeter scale molds can be fabricated from laser cut negative master molds4.
We have used this technique primarily to manipulate the shape of engineered tissues in order to improve nutrient diffusion, cellular alignment, and mechanical properties5,6,7. However, versatility of this technique allows for the utilization in any field where molded hydrogels are of interest, such as drug delivery and material science research8. With access to a laser cutter, PDMS mold replicates can be made for nearly any geometry without overhangs (that would inhibit removal without a multi-part mold, which is beyond the scope of this manuscript) and that fits within the dimensions of the laser bed.

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="738">
	<tbody>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;width:263px;">Item</td>
			<td style="width:167px;"></td>
			<td style="width:169px;"></td>
			<td style="width:141px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;">Bovine fibrinogen</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>F8630-5G</td>
			<td>Constructs</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;">Bovine thrombin</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>T6634-250UN</td>
			<td>Constructs</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;">Bovine aprotinin</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>10820-25MG</td>
			<td>Constructs</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;">Rat tail collagen I, 4 mg/mL</td>
			<td>Advanced Biomatrix</td>
			<td>5153-100MG</td>
			<td>Constructs</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;">Sodim chloride</td>
			<td>Fisher</td>
			<td>BP358-10</td>
			<td>Constructs</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;">PBS</td>
			<td>Life Technologies</td>
			<td>14190-250</td>
			<td>Constructs</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;">Fine forceps</td>
			<td>Fine Science Tools</td>
			<td>11252-20</td>
			<td>Constructs</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;">Sylgard 184 silicone elastomer</td>
			<td>Corning</td>
			<td>4019862</td>
			<td>PDMS Molds</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;">Lab tape</td>
			<td>Fisher</td>
			<td>15-901-5R</td>
			<td>PDMS Molds</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;">Acrylic, 1/4&#34; thick</td>
			<td>McMaster-Carr</td>
			<td>8560K356</td>
			<td>PDMS Molds</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;">HEPES Buffer, 1 M</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>H3537-100ML</td>
			<td>Constructs</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;">RPMI 1640 medium, powder</td>
			<td>Fisher</td>
			<td>31800-089</td>
			<td>Constructs</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;">Calcium chloride dihydrate</td>
			<td>Fisher</td>
			<td>AC423520250</td>
			<td>Constructs</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;">Magnesium chloride hexahydrate</td>
			<td>Fisher</td>
			<td>M33 500</td>
			<td>Constructs</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;">Potassium chloride</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>P9541-500G</td>
			<td>Constructs</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;">Sodium phosphate dibasic heptahydrate</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>S9390-500G</td>
			<td>Constructs</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;">Glucose</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>G5767-25G</td>
			<td>Constructs</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;">OCT</td>
			<td>VWR</td>
			<td>25608-930</td>
			<td>Histology</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;">Frozen block molds</td>
			<td>VWR</td>
			<td>25608-916</td>
			<td>Histology</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;">Hematoxylin</td>
			<td>Fisher</td>
			<td>3530 1</td>
			<td>Histology</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;">Eosin Y</td>
			<td>Fisher</td>
			<td>AC152880250</td>
			<td>Histology</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;">Fast green FCF</td>
			<td>Fisher</td>
			<td>AC410530250</td>
			<td>Histology</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;">Software</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;">Illustrator</td>
			<td>Adobe Systems</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Vector Graphics</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;">Inkscape</td>
			<td>(Open Source)</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Vector Graphics</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;">UCP (Universal Control Panel)</td>
			<td>Universal Laser Systems</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Laser Cutter Interface</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;">Equipment</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;">PLS6.75 Laser Cutter</td>
			<td>Universal Laser Systems</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Laser Cutter</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;">Micromechanical Analyzer</td>
			<td>Aurora Scientific</td>
			<td>1530A with 5 mN load cell</td>
			<td>Mechanical Analysis</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

custom engineered tissue culture molds from laser-etched masters

As the field of tissue engineering has continued to mature, there has been increased interest in a wide range of tissue parameters, including tissue shape. Manipulating tissue shape on the micrometer to centimeter scale can direct cell alignment, alter effective mechanical properties, and address limitations related to nutrient diffusion. In addition, the vessel in which a tissue is prepared can impart mechanical constraints on the tissue, resulting in stress fields that can further influence both the cell and matrix structure. Shaped tissues with highly reproducible dimensions also have utility for in vitro assays in which sample dimensions are critical, such as whole tissue mechanical analysis.
This manuscript describes an alternative fabrication method utilizing negative master molds prepared from laser etched acrylic: these molds perform well with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), permit designs with dimensions on the centimeter scale and feature sizes smaller than 25 &#181;m, and can be rapidly designed and fabricated at a low cost and with minimal expertise. The minimal time and cost requirements allow for laser etched molds to be rapidly iterated upon until an optimal design is determined, and to be easily adapted to suit any assay of interest, including those beyond the field of tissue engineering.

The optics of the laser cutter will cause etched areas to have very slightly decreased dimensions as etching depth increases, and results in mold walls with a very subtle bevel, due to tapering of the laser beam. This will help facilitate the removal of the cast PDMS molds, but should be carefully considered if very deeply etched negative master molds (&#62;6 mm) are required (Figure 1).
Over time i...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Custom Engineered Tissue Culture Molds from Laser-etched Masters at JoVE.com

Custom Engineered Tissue Culture Molds from Laser-etched Masters

Herein we present a rapid, facile, and low-cost method for fabricating custom polydimethylsiloxane molds that can be used for producing hydrogel-based engineered tissues with complex geometries. We additionally describe results from mechanical and histological assessments conducted on engineered cardiac tissues produced using this technique.

As the field of tissue engineering has continued to mature, there has been increased interest in a wide range of tissue parameters, including tissue ...

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