Development of a tunable method to generate various three-dimensional microstructures by replenishing macromolecules such as extracellular matrix components and polysaccharides.

ABSTRACT: Multicellular spheroids (spheroids) are expected to be a promising approach to mimic in vivo organ functions and cell microenvironments. However, conventional spheroids do not fully consider the existence of extracellular matrices (ECMs). In this study, we developed a tunable method for replenishing macromolecules, including ECM components and polysaccharides, into spheroids without compromising cell viability by injecting a microvolume cell suspension into a high density of methylcellulose dissolved in the culture medium. Adjusting the ECM concentration in the cell suspension enabled the generation of different three-dimensional microstructures, such as "ECM gel capsules", which contained individually separated cells, and "ECM-loaded spheroids", which had thin ECM layers between cells. EC

SUBMITTER: Tao F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7162899 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature