Two-Layer Droplet Arrays Enable Dynamic Manipulation of Cell Microenvironment During High-Throughput Bacterial Cultivation.

ABSTRACT: Arrays of pico-to-microliter droplets, organized on a surface, enable chemical and biological workflows at high throughput. Here, a platform employing two-layer droplets is presented to enable flexible manipulation of the droplets' microenvironment for dynamic biological cultivation. Arrays of 6784 agarose droplets (≈2.0 nL per droplet) encapsulating and immobilizing bacterial cells are generated. After that, aqueous droplets (≈3.7 nL) with a defined composition are deposited atop to form a thin liquid layer surrounding the agarose droplets. Chemical exchange between the two layers is extremely fast (equilibrium within 15 s for fluorescein). Moreover, the aqueous layer can be removed, opening the possibility to extract substances from the agarose droplets. Indeed, repeated addition and asp

SUBMITTER: Xiong B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12716177 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature