Construction of Modular Hydrogel Sheets for Micropatterned Macro-scaled 3D Cellular Architecture

Summary

We describe the fabrication of micropatterned hydrogel sheets using a simple process, which can be assembled and manipulated in a freestanding form. Using these modular hydrogel sheets, a simple macro-scaled 3D cell culture system can be generated with a controlled cellular microenvironment.

Abstract

Hydrogels can be patterned at the micro-scale using microfluidic or micropatterning technologies to provide an in vivo-like three-dimensional (3D) tissue geometry. The resulting 3D hydrogel-based cellular constructs have been introduced as an alternative to animal experiments for advanced biological studies, pharmacological assays and organ transplant applications. Although hydrogel-based particles and fibers can be easily fabricated, it is difficult to manipulate them for tissue reconstruction. In this video, we describe a fabrication method for micropatterned alginate hydrogel sheets, together with their assembly to form a macro-scale 3D cell culture system with a controlled cellular microenvironment. Using a mist form of the calcium gelling agent, thin hydrogel sheets are easily generated with a thickness in the range of 100 - 200 µm, and with precise micropatterns. Cells can then be cultured with the geometric guidance of the hydrogel sheets in freestanding conditions. Furthermore, the hydrogel sheets can be readily manipulated using a micropipette with an end-cut tip, and can be assembled into multi-layered structures by stacking them using a patterned polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) frame. These modular hydrogel sheets, which can be fabricated using a facile process, have potential applications of in vitro drug assays and biological studies, including functional studies of micro- and macrostructure and tissue reconstruction.

Introduction

Hydrogels are particularly promising biomaterials, and are expected to be important in basic biology, pharmacological assays and medicine.¹ Biofabrication of hydrogel-based cellular constructs has been suggested to reduce the use of animal experiments,^2,3 replace transplantable tissues,⁴ and improve cell-based assays.^5,6 Water-containing (hydro-) viscoelastic materials (gels) allow a large number of cells to be encapsulated and maintained in a scaffold structure to control the 3D cellular microenvironment. In combination with the guidance of microfluidic or micropatterning technologies, the geometry of the hydrogel construct....

Protocol

   1. Preparation of the Micropatterned Molds and Hydrogels

1. Produce the desired micro-scale patterns using SU-8 photoresist on the surface of a silicon wafer via a standard two-step photolithography technique^15,17 for casting PDMS molds. The example shown uses a liver lobule-like mesh pattern (Figure 1).
2. Weigh out PDMS and a curing agent solution with a ratio of 1:5 (i.e., 12.5 g of PDMS and 2.5 g of curing agent).
3. Mix the 15 g of the solution thoroughly, degas the bubbles in a vacuum chamber, and then spread the mixed solution onto a micropatterned surface of the silicon wafer evenly withi....

Results

We have described the fabrication and manipulation of freestanding cellular hydrogel sheets. As shown in Figure 1, we fabricated micropatterned PDMS molds, and cell-containing hydrogel was loaded onto the hydrophilic surface of these molds and cross-linked using a humidifier to generate an aerosolized mist of gelling agent. Following release from the molds, HepG2 cells were cultured in freestanding hydrogel sheets with various patterns (Figure 2). Thus, t.......

Discussion

This protocol provides a simple method of fabricating modular hydrogel sheets, and assembling them to form 3D cellular scaffolds.

To construct clear-cut patterned alginate structures in a short time, we should identify a cross-linking process that can create sufficiently rigid structures to maintain the complex micropatterns from the mold, as well as maintain cell viability and metabolism. We have developed a cross-linking process, including a sol–gel transition, to spray a cross-linking.......

Materials

List of materials used in this article

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
Sylgard 184 Silicone Elastomer Kit	Dow Corning Corporation	000000000001064291
Pluronic F-127	Sigma-Aldrich	P2443	Powdered nonionic surfactant
Alginic acid sodium salt, low viscosity	Alfa Aesar	B25266
Calcium chloride dihydrate	Sigma-Aldrich	C7902
Ultrasonic humidifier	MediHeim	MH-2800	Modified equipment, Maximum sprayed rate: 250 ml/hr
Nylon net filter hydrofilic, 180 μm	EMD Millipore	NY8H04700
Polycarbonate mold			Customized mold for fabrication of a PDMS frame pattern