Low-cost, versatile, and highly reproducible microfabrication pipeline to generate 3D-printed customised cell culture devices with complex designs

by Cathleen Hagemann, Matthew C. D. Bailey, Eugenia Carraro, Ksenia S. Stankevich, Valentina Maria Lionello, Noreen Khokhar, Pacharaporn Suklai, Carmen Moreno-Gonzalez, Kelly O ’Toole, George Konstantinou, Christina L. Dix, Sudeep Joshi, Eleonora Giagnorio, Mads S. Bergholt, Christopher D. Spicer, Albane Imbert, Francesco Saverio Tedesco, Andrea Serio

Cell culture devices, such as microwells and microfluidic chips, are designed to increase the complexity of cell-based models while retaining control over culture conditions and have become indispensable platforms for biological systems modelling. From microtopography, microwells, plating devices, and microfluidic systems to larger constructs such as live imaging chamber slides, a wide variety of culture devices with different geometries have become indispensable in biology laboratories. However, while their application in biological projects is increasing exponentially, due to a combination of the techniques, equipment and tools required for their manufacture, and the expertise necessary, biological and biomedical labs tend more often to rely on already made devices. Indeed, commercially developed devices are available for a variety of applications but are often costly and, importantly, lack the potential for customisation by each individual lab. The last point is quite crucial, as often experiments in wet labs are adapted to whichever design is already available rather than designing and fabricating custom systems that perf...

Source: PLoS Biology: Archived Table of Contents - March 13, 2024 Category: Biology Authors: Cathleen Hagemann Source Type: research