Automation of electrothermal cell sheet manipulator for seamless tissue assembly and handling.

ABSTRACT: The manipulation of fragile biological tissues such as engineered cell sheets remains a major challenge for regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. Manual handling with tools like tweezers often induces wrinkling or tearing, compromising tissue integrity. Here, we present an automated cell sheet manipulator that integrates a thermoresponsive microchanneled poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) hydrogel with an embedded microheater, mounted on a programmable three-axis motorized stage. Upon localized heating and cooling, the hydrogel undergoes rapid, reversible volumetric transitions that enable suction-based gripping and release of cell sheets within a few seconds. The custom LabVIEW interface synchronizes stage movement and thermal cycling, allowing reproducible, hands-free operatio

SUBMITTER: Kang S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12638413 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature