Researching Cell-Substrate Relationships Using Biomaterial Platforms

SLU ID 15-012 | Custom Multi-Well Plate Design for Rapid Assembly of Photo-Patterned Hydrogels

Background

The extracellular matrix (ECM) provides both mechanical support and biochemical cues that influence cellular behavior. Matrix stiffness in particular, has been found to regulate cellular morphology, motility, proliferation, differentiation, and drug responses among other behaviors. Thus, biomaterial platforms that exhibit wide ranges of stiffness and a semi-high-throughput format would be useful for elucidating cell-substrate relationships. Such a device can have an immediate impact in research areas such as for example drug screening, where highthroughput is a critical requirement.

Overview

Researchers at Saint Louis University have designed a device that allows for the rapid assembly of hydrogels of varying stiffness in a multi-well plate format. This is a novel custom multi-well plate design that allows for a onestep hydrogel-based stiffness assay assembly in approximately one (1) hour. The multi-well plate upper structure is designed similar to a regular multi-well plate such that a gel fits in each well and cells and media are added on top. The upper structure design allows for adequate gas exchange and minimum evaporation. Comparison between cell behaviors seeded in the custom and a standard multi-well plate demonstrated the suitability of the design as a cell culture platform.

Benefits

The potential benefits of this technology include:

• Minimizing the preparation time for assay assemblies

• Minimizing the amount of labor required to prepare assay assemblies

• Increasing control of the level of gel stiffness

• Increasing the throughput rates

Applications

The potential applications of this technology include:

• Screening drugs

• Encapsulating cells and other molecules

Opportunity

Saint Louis University is seeking partners to further develop and commercialize this technology.