This work was supported by NIH grant EB007278.

Making a BFC
BFCs are made by molding polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) over a 4" Si master wafer.
Making a master wafer
<ol>
<li>Start by dehydrating the Si wafers for 30 min at 130&deg;C. </li>
<li>Place the wafer on a spin-coater, pour SU8-2050 (Microchem) onto the wafer, ramp from 300 rpm/s to 3000-4000 rpm, and spin for 30 s to yield feature heights of 40-30 mm, respectively. </li>
<li>After spinning, place the wafer on a 65&deg;C hotplate, immediately ramp up the temperature to 95&deg;C for 5-6 min, and then ramp it down to 65&deg;C. </li>
<li>Expose the wafers to a UV dose of 200 mJ/cm2 on a contact aligner using a dark-field mask. </li>
<li>Place the wafers on a 65&deg;C hotplate, immediately ramp up the temperature to 95&deg;C for 4-5 min, and then ramp it down to 65&deg;C. </li>
<li>Develop the wafers in PM acetate and Isopropanol. </li>
<li>Silanize the wafers for 30 min using hexamethyldisiloxane (Shin-Etsu MicroSi), or (Tridecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrooctyl)-1-trichlorosilane (t2492-KG, UCT Specialities, Bristol, PA), to prevent PDMS from adhering to the Si master wafer.</li>
</ol>
Molding chips
<ol>
<li>Mix PDMS (Dow Corning, Sylgard 184) in a 10:1 ratio, pour it over the master Si wafer (~15 g per wafer), and let it cure overnight at room temperature. </li>
<li>Peel the cured PDMS off the Si wafer and cut out each chip using a razor blade. </li>
<li>Bond each chip to a 1x1 cm cut microscope slide for easy handling.</li>
</ol>
Preparing the BFC for use
<ol>
<li>Soak the BFC overnight in PBS in order to prevent absorption of media into the PDMS during the experiment. </li>
<li>Dry the chips with a Kimwipe (Kimtech Science). </li>
<li>Put a drop of 7.5% Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) (~200 mL) on the patterned surface of the BFC, and then scrape it with a pipette tip to disperse the BSA and remove any bubbles from the wells. </li>
<li>Leave the BSA on the BFC surface for at least 0.5 hours. Ideally agitate the BSA every 15 min to prevent crusting. </li>
<li>To fit the BFC inside a 35x10 mm TCPS dish (Falcon, 35-3001), cut the rims of a TCPS dish half way down so that the &frac34;" binder clips (Office Depot) will fit over the dish rim to clamp the chip and dish together. </li>
<li>Cut a spacer gasket (frame-shaped with 20&acute;20 mm outer edge, 15&acute;15 mm inner edge, and 250-500 mm thickness) from a PDMS sheet (Silicone Specialty Products) or any other silicone, and apply it to the dish using tweezers.</li>
</ol>
Patterning cells with a BFC
<ol>
<li>Sterilize the dish, gasket, BSA-coated chip, and 2 binder clips under UV light for 1 minute. </li>
<li>Aspirate the BSA and rinse the BFC twice with 200 mL PBS. </li>
<li>Add gelatin to the cut TCPS dish if required for your cell-line. Otherwise, wet the TCPS surface with some media before applying it to the chip (see below). This prevents bubbles from forming in the chamber. </li>
<li>After aspirating the PBS, pipette 200 mL of cell solution (~1&times;106 cells/mL) onto the BFC surface. Let the cells settle for 5-10 min. </li>
<li>Tilt the BFC to one corner at a ~15&deg; angle and slowly pipette the cell solution off with a 200 mL pipette. Then, place the BFC flat and add 100 mL of PBS or blank media to the opposite BFC corner. Rinse the BFC in this manner an additional 2-4 times, as necessary, to clear all cells from the inter-well regions. </li>
<li>Pipette 200 mL of media onto the chip surface. Aspirate gelatin/media from the TCPS. Then invert the pre-wetted dish and slowly push the BFC up, into the dish. </li>
<li>Apply a binder clip each, to two sides of the chamber to seal it. Remove the metal prongs from the binder clips so that dish remains level when flipped over. </li>
<li>Finally, quickly flip the setup over while avoiding any unnecessary movement, and place it in the incubator.</li>
</ol>

<ol>
	<li>Rosenthal, A., Macdonald, A., Voldman, J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Cell+Patterning+Chip+for+Controlling+the+Stem+Cell+Microenvironment.">Cell Patterning Chip for Controlling the Stem Cell Microenvironment.</a> Biomaterials. 28, 3208-3216 (2007).</li></ol>

Although the protocol and video shown here describe using the BFC 1 to pattern mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs), BFCs can be used to pattern practically any cell type of interest. The only change one may need to make is to alter the size of the microwells. In our experience, to use the BFC to pattern single cells of another cell type, a microwell diameter and height equal to 10 microns greater than the unattached cell diameter works best.
BFCs can also be used to pattern cells on...

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		<div>
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		<th>Material Name</th>
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<td>PDMS</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Dw Corning</td>
<td>Sylgard 184</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Silicon master mould</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Tissue culture dishes</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Falcon</td>
<td>35-3001</td>
<td>35 mm</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>3/4" binder clips</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>PBS</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>hexamethyldisiloxane</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Shin-Etsu MicroSi</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
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<td>&nbsp;</td>
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<td>SU8-2050</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
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<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Isopropanol</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>BSA</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
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patterning of embryonic stem cells using the bio flip chip

Cell-cell interactions consisting of diffusible signaling and cell-cell contact (juxtacrine signaling) are important in numerous biological processes such as tumor growth, stem cell differentiation, and stem cell self-renewal. A number of methods currently exist to modulate cell signaling in vitro. One method of modulating the total amount of diffusible signaling is to vary the cell seeding density during culture. Due to the random nature of cell seeding, this results in considerable variation in the actual cell-cell spacing and amount of cell-cell contact, and cannot prescribe the local environment. A more specific approach for modulating cell signaling is to use molecular inhibitors or genetic approaches to knock down specific signaling proteins, but both of these methods are best suited to manipulating small numbers of molecules. Here, we demonstrate a new approach to modulating cell-cell signaling that modulates the local environment of a cluster of cells by placing different numbers of cells at desired locations on a substrate. This method provides a complementary way to control the local diffusible and juxtacrine signaling between cells. Our method makes use of the Bio Flip Chip (BFC), a microfabricated silicone chip containing hundreds-to-thousands of microwells, each sized to hold either a single cell or small numbers of cells. We load the chip with cells simply by pipetting them onto the array of wells and washing unloaded cells off the array. The chip is then flipped onto a substrate, whereby the cells fall out of the wells and onto the substrate, maintaining their patterning. After the cells have attached, the chip can be removed (or left on). This approach to cell patterning is unique in that it: 1) doesn't alter the chemistry of the substrate, thus allowing cells to proliferate and migrate; 2) allows patterning onto any substrate, including tissue-culture polystyrene, glass, matrigel, and even feeder cell layers; and 3) is compatible with traditional microcontact printing, allowing the creation of extracellular matrix islands with cells placed inside those islands. In this video, we demonstrate the patterning of mouse embryonic stem cells onto tissue-culture polystyrene using the BFC.

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Patterning of Embryonic Stem Cells Using the Bio Flip Chip at JoVE.com

Patterning of Embryonic Stem Cells Using the Bio Flip Chip

We demonstrate a simple method for placing cells at desired locations on a substrate. This method patterns cells by flipping a silicone chip containing microwells filled with cells onto the substrate. This method provides a new way to modulate diffusible and juxtacrine signaling between cells.

Cell-cell interactions consisting of diffusible signaling and cell-cell contact (juxtacrine signaling) are important in numerous biological processes such ...

patterning-of-embryonic-stem-cells-using-the-bio-flip-chip

Research

JoVE Journal

Biology

9.4K Views.  MIT - Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Мы демонстрируем простой метод для размещения клеток в нужное место на подложке. Этот метод модели клетки, щелкая силиконовых чипов содержащие лунки заполнены клеток на подложке. Этот метод обеспечивает новый способ модуляции диффузии и juxtacrine сигналов между...

Video: Patterning of Embryonic Stem Cells Using the Bio Flip Chip

Improved Visualization and Quantitative Analysis of Drug Effects Using Micropatterned Cells

To date, most HCA (High Content Analysis) studies are carried out with adherent cell lines grown on a homogenous substrate in tissue-culture treated micro-plates. Under these conditions, cells spread and divide in all directions resulting in an inherent variability in cell shape, morphology and behavior. The high cell-to-cell variance of the overall population impedes the success of HCA, especially for drug development. The ability of micropatterns to normalize the shape and internal polarity of every individual cell provides a tremendous opportunity for solving this critical bottleneck 1-2.
To facilitate access and use of the micropatterning technology, CYTOO has developed a range of ready to use micropatterns, available in coverslip and microwell formats. In this video article, we provide detailed protocols of all the procedures from cell seeding on CYTOOchip micropatterns, drug treatment, fixation and staining to automated acquisition, automated image processing and final data analysis. With this example, we illustrate how micropatterns can facilitate cell-based assays. Alterations of the cell cytoskeleton are difficult to quantify in cells cultured on homogenous substrates, but culturing cells on micropatterns results in a reproducible organization of the actin meshwork due to systematic positioning of the cell adhesion contacts in every cell. Such normalization of the intracellular architecture allows quantification of even small effects on the actin cytoskeleton as demonstrated in these set of protocols using blebbistatin, an inhibitor of the actin-myosin interaction.

Adhesive micropatterns that normalize cellular architecture can be used to increase sensitivity in the detection of drug effects, improve reproducibility and simplify automated image acquisition and analysis. Such technology will benefit drug/siRNA screening assays, performed on conventional cell culture supports and consequently suffering from excessive cell-to-cell variability.

To date, most HCA (High Content Analysis) studies are carried out with adherent cell lines grown on a homogenous substrate in tissue-culture treated ...

Bioengineering

Stencil Micropatterning of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells for Probing Spatial Organization of Differentiation Fates

Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), including embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells, have the intrinsic ability to differentiate into all three germ layers. This makes them an attractive cell source for regenerative medicine and experimental modeling of normal and diseased organogenesis. However, the differentiation of hPSCs in vitro is heterogeneous and spatially disordered. Cell micropatterning technologies potentially offer the means to spatially control stem cell microenvironments and organize the resultant differentiation fates. Micropatterning hPSCs needs to take into account the stringent requirements for hPSC survival and maintenance. Here, we describe stencil micropatterning as a method that is highly compatible with hPSCs. hPSC micropatterns are specified by the geometries of the cell stencil through-holes, which physically confine the locations where hPSCs can access and attach to the underlying extracellular matrix-coated substrate. Due to this mode of operation, there is greater flexibility to use substrates that can adequately support hPSCs as compared to other cell micropatterning methods. We also highlight critical steps for the successful generation of hPSC micropatterns. As an example, we demonstrate that stencil micropatterning of hPSCs can be used to modulate spatial polarization of cell-cell and cell-matrix adhesions, which in turn determines mesoendoderm differentiation patterns. This simple and robust method to micropattern hPSCs widens the prospects of establishing experimental models to investigate tissue organization and patterning during early embryonic development.

Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) have the intrinsic ability to differentiate and self-organize into distinct tissue patterns; although this requires the presentation of spatial environmental gradients. We present stencil micropatterning as a simple and robust method to generate biochemical and mechanical gradients for controlling hPSC differentiation patterns.

Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), including embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells, have the intrinsic ability to differentiate into ...

Developmental Biology

An Approach to Study Shape-Dependent Transcriptomics at a Single Cell Level

Different types of cardiac hypertrophy have been associated with an increased volume of cardiac myocytes (CMs), along with changes in CM morphology. While the effects of cell volume on gene expression are well known, the effects of cell shape are not well understood. This paper describes a method that has been designed to systematically analyze the effects of CM morphology on gene expression. It details the development of a novel single-cell trapping strategy that is then followed by single-cell mRNA sequencing. A micropatterned chip has also been designed, which contains 3000 rectangular-shaped fibronectin micropatterns. This makes it possible to grow CMs in distinct length:width aspect ratios (AR), corresponding to different types of heart failure (HF). The paper also describes a protocol that has been designed to pick up single cells from their pattern, using a semi-automated micro-pipetting cell picker, and individually inject them into a separate lysis buffer. This has made it possible to profile the transcriptomes of single CMs with defined geometrical morphotypes and characterize them according to a range of normal or pathological conditions: hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) or afterload/concentric versus dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) or preload/eccentric. In summary, this paper presents methods for growing CMs with different shapes, which represent different pathologies, and sorting these adherent CMs based on their morphology at a single-cell level. The proposed platform provides a novel approach to high throughput and drug screening for different types of HF.

This paper presents methods for growing cardiac myocytes with different shapes, which represent different pathologies, and sorting these adherent cardiac myocytes based on their morphology at a single cell level. The proposed platform provides a novel approach to high throughput and drug screening for different types of heart failure.

Different types of cardiac hypertrophy have been associated with an increased volume of cardiac myocytes (CMs), along with changes in CM morphology. While ...

Genetics

Mapping the Emergent Spatial Organization of Mammalian Cells using Micropatterns and Quantitative Imaging

A fundamental goal in biology is to understand how patterns emerge during development. Several groups have shown that patterning can be achieved in vitro when stem cells are spatially confined onto micropatterns, thus setting up experimental models which offer unique opportunities to identify, in vitro, the fundamental principles of biological organisation.
Here we describe our own implementation of the methodology. We adapted a photo-patterning technique to reduce the need for specialized equipment to make it easier to establish the method in a standard cell biology laboratory. We also developed a free, open-source and easy to install image analysis framework in order to precisely measure the preferential positioning of sub-populations of cells within colonies of standard shapes and sizes. This method makes it possible to reveal the existence of patterning events even in seemingly disorganized populations of cells. The technique provides quantitative insights and can be used to decouple influences of the environment (e.g., physical cues or endogenous signaling), on a given patterning process.

The method presented here uses micropatterning together with quantitative imaging to reveal spatial organization within mammalian cultures. The technique is easy to establish in a standard cell biology laboratory and offers a tractable system to study patterning in vitro.

A fundamental goal in biology is to understand how patterns emerge during development. Several groups have shown that patterning can be achieved in vitro ...

Generation of a Human iPSC-Based Blood-Brain Barrier Chip

The blood brain barrier (BBB) is formed by neurovascular units (NVUs) that shield the central nervous system (CNS) from a range of factors found in the blood that can disrupt delicate brain function. As such, the BBB is a major obstacle to the delivery of therapeutics to the CNS. Accumulating evidence suggests that the BBB plays a key role in the onset and progression of neurological diseases. Thus, there is a tremendous need for a BBB model that can predict penetration of CNS-targeted drugs as well as elucidate the BBB&#39;s role in health and disease.
We have recently combined organ-on-chip and induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technologies to generate a BBB chip fully personalized to humans. This novel platform displays cellular, molecular, and physiological properties that are suitable for the prediction of drug and molecule transport across the human BBB. Furthermore, using patient-specific BBB chips, we have generated models of neurological disease and demonstrated the potential for personalized predictive medicine applications. Provided here is a detailed protocol demonstrating how to generate iPSC-derived BBB chips, beginning with differentiation of iPSC-derived brain microvascular endothelial cells (iBMECs) and resulting in mixed neural cultures containing neural progenitors, differentiated neurons, and astrocytes. Also described is a procedure for seeding cells into the organ chip and culturing of the BBB chips under controlled laminar flow. Lastly, detailed descriptions of BBB chip analyses are provided, including paracellular permeability assays for assessing drug and molecule permeability as well as immunocytochemical methods for determining the composition of cell types within the chip.

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a multicellular neurovascular unit tightly regulating brain homeostasis. By combining human iPSCs and organ-on-chip technologies, we have generated a personalized BBB chip, suitable for disease modeling and CNS drug penetrability predictions. A detailed protocol is described for the generation and operation of the BBB chip.

The blood brain barrier (BBB) is formed by neurovascular units (NVUs) that shield the central nervous system (CNS) from a range of factors found in the ...

A Microfluidics Approach for the Functional Investigation of Signaling Oscillations Governing Somitogenesis

Periodic segmentation of the presomitic mesoderm of a developing mouse embryo is controlled by a network of signaling pathways. Signaling oscillations and gradients are thought to control the timing and spacing of segment formation, respectively. While the involved signaling pathways have been studied extensively over the last decades, direct evidence for the function of signaling oscillations in controlling somitogenesis has been lacking. To enable the functional investigation of signaling dynamics, microfluidics is a previously established tool for the subtle modulation of these dynamics. With this microfluidics-based entrainment approach endogenous signaling oscillations are synchronized by pulses of pathway modulators. This enables modulation of, for instance, the oscillation period or the phase-relationship between two oscillating pathways. Furthermore, spatial gradients of pathway modulators can be established along the tissue to study how specific changes in the signaling gradients affect somitogenesis.
The present protocol is meant to help establish microfluidic approaches for the first-time users of microfluidics. The basic principles and equipment needed to set up a microfluidic system are described, and a chip design is provided, with which a mold for chip generation can conveniently be prepared using a 3D printer. Finally, how to culture primary mouse tissue on a microfluidic chip and how to entrain signaling oscillations to external pulses of pathway modulators are discussed.
This microfluidic system can also be adapted to harbor other in vivo and in vitro model systems such as gastruloids and organoids for functional investigation of signaling dynamics and morphogen gradients in other contexts.

A protocol for the culture and manipulation of mouse embryonic tissue on a microfluidic chip is provided. By applying pulses of pathway modulators, this system can be used to externally control signaling oscillations for the functional investigation of mouse somitogenesis.

Periodic segmentation of the presomitic mesoderm of a developing mouse embryo is controlled by a network of signaling pathways. Signaling oscillations and ...

Photobleaching Assays (FRAP &amp; FLIP) to Measure Chromatin Protein Dynamics in Living Embryonic Stem Cells

Fluorescence Recovery After Photobleaching (FRAP) and Fluorescence Loss In Photobleaching (FLIP) enable the study of protein dynamics in living cells with good spatial and temporal resolution. Here we describe how to perform FRAP and FLIP assays of chromatin proteins, including H1 and HP1, in mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells. In a FRAP experiment, cells are transfected, either transiently or stably, with a protein of interest fused with the green fluorescent protein (GFP) or derivatives thereof (YFP, CFP, Cherry, etc.). In the transfected, fluorescing cells, an intense focused laser beam bleaches a relatively small region of interest (ROI). The laser wavelength is selected according to the fluorescent protein used for fusion. The laser light irreversibly bleaches the fluorescent signal of molecules in the ROI and, immediately following bleaching, the recovery of the fluorescent signal in the bleached area - mediated by the replacement of the bleached molecules with the unbleached molecules - is monitored using time lapse imaging. The generated fluorescence recovery curves provide information on the protein's mobility. If the fluorescent molecules are immobile, no fluorescence recovery will be observed. In a complementary approach, Fluorescence Loss in Photobleaching (FLIP), the laser beam bleaches the same spot repeatedly and the signal intensity is measured elsewhere in the fluorescing cell. FLIP experiments therefore measure signal decay rather than fluorescence recovery and are useful to determine protein mobility as well as protein shuttling between cellular compartments. Transient binding is a common property of chromatin-associated proteins. Although the major fraction of each chromatin protein is bound to chromatin at any given moment at steady state, the binding is transient and most chromatin proteins have a high turnover on chromatin, with a residence time in the order of seconds. These properties are crucial for generating high plasticity in genome expression1. Photobleaching experiments are therefore particularly useful to determine chromatin plasticity using GFP-fusion versions of chromatin structural proteins, especially in ES cells, where the dynamic exchange of chromatin proteins (including heterochromatin protein 1 (HP1), linker histone H1 and core histones) is higher than in differentiated cells2,3.

Photobleaching Assays FRAP &amp; FLIP to Measure Chromatin Protein Dynamics in Living Embryonic Stem Cells

We describe photobleaching methods including Fluorescence Recovery After Photobleaching (FRAP) and Fluorescence Loss In Photobleaching (FLIP) to monitor chromatin protein dynamics in embryonic stem (ES) cells. Chromatin protein dynamics, which is considered to be one of the means to study chromatin plasticity, is enhanced in pluripotent cells.

Fluorescence Recovery After Photobleaching (FRAP) and Fluorescence Loss In Photobleaching (FLIP) enable the study of protein dynamics in living cells with ...

Patterning the Geometry of Human Embryonic Stem Cell Colonies on Compliant Substrates to Control Tissue-Level Mechanics

Human embryonic stem cells demonstrate a unique ability to respond to morphogens in vitro by self-organizing patterns of cell fate specification that correspond to primary germ layer formation during embryogenesis. Thus, these cells represent a powerful tool with which to examine the mechanisms that drive early human development. We have developed a method to culture human embryonic stem cells in confined colonies on compliant substrates that provides control over both the geometry of the colonies and their mechanical environment in order to recapitulate the physical parameters that underlie embryogenesis. The key feature of this method is the ability to generate polyacrylamide hydrogels with defined patterns of extracellular matrix ligand at the surface to promote cell attachment. This is achieved by fabricating stencils with the desired geometric patterns, using these stencils to create patterns of extracellular matrix ligand on glass coverslips, and transferring these patterns to polyacrylamide hydrogels during polymerization. This method is also compatible with traction force microscopy, allowing the user to measure and map the distribution of cell-generated forces within the confined colonies. In combination with standard biochemical assays, these measurements can be used to examine the role mechanical cues play in fate specification and morphogenesis during early human development.

Extracellular matrix ligands can be patterned onto polyacrylamide hydrogels to enable the culture of human embryonic stem cells in confined colonies on compliant substrates. This method can be combined with traction force microscopy and biochemical assays to examine the interplay between tissue geometry, cell-generated forces, and fate specification.

Human embryonic stem cells demonstrate a unique ability to respond to morphogens in vitro by self-organizing patterns of cell fate specification that ...

Simple, Affordable, and Modular Patterning of Cells using DNA

The relative positioning of cells is a key feature of the microenvironment that organizes cell-cell interactions. To study the interactions between cells of the same or different type, micropatterning techniques have proved useful. DNA Programmed Assembly of Cells (DPAC) is a micropatterning technique that targets the adhesion of cells to a substrate or other cells using DNA hybridization. The most basic operations in DPAC begin with decorating cell membranes with lipid-modified oligonucleotides, then flowing them over a substrate that has been patterned with complementary DNA sequences. Cells adhere selectively to the substrate only where they find a complementary DNA sequence. Non-adherent cells are washed away, revealing a pattern of adherent cells. Additional operations include further rounds of cell-substrate or cell-cell adhesion, as well as transferring the patterns formed by DPAC to an embedding hydrogel for long-term culture. Previously, methods for patterning oligonucleotides on surfaces and decorating cells with DNA sequences required specialized equipment and custom DNA synthesis, respectively. We report an updated version of the protocol, utilizing an inexpensive benchtop photolithography setup and commercially available cholesterol modified oligonucleotides (CMOs) deployed using a modular format. CMO-labeled cells adhere with high efficiency to DNA-patterned substrates. This approach can be used to pattern multiple cell types at once with high precision and to create arrays of microtissues embedded within an extracellular matrix. Advantages of this method include its high resolution, ability to embed cells into a three-dimensional microenvironment without disrupting the micropattern, and flexibility in patterning any cell type.

Here we present a protocol to micropattern cells at single-cell resolution using DNA-programmed adhesion. This protocol uses a benchtop photolithography platform to create patterns of DNA oligonucleotides on a glass slide and then labels cell membranes with commercially available complementary oligonucleotides. Hybridization of the oligos results in programmed cell adhesion.

The relative positioning of cells is a key feature of the microenvironment that organizes cell-cell interactions. To study the interactions between cells ...

Generation of Multicue Cellular Microenvironments by UV-Photopatterning of Three-Dimensional Cell Culture Substrates

The extracellular matrix is an important regulator of cell function. Environmental cues existing in the cellular microenvironment, such as ligand distribution and tissue geometry, have been increasingly shown to play critical roles in governing cell phenotype and behavior. However, these environmental cues and their effects on cells are often studied separately using in vitro platforms that isolate individual cues, a strategy that heavily oversimplifies the complex in vivo situation of multiple cues. Engineering approaches can be particularly useful to bridge this gap, by developing experimental setups that capture the complexity of the in vivo microenvironment, yet retain the degree of precision and manipulability of in vitro systems.
This study highlights an approach combining ultraviolet (UV)-based protein patterning and lithography-based substrate microfabrication, which together enable high-throughput investigation into cell behaviors in multicue environments. By means of maskless UV-photopatterning, it is possible to create complex, adhesive protein distributions on three-dimensional (3D) cell culture substrates on chips that contain a variety of well-defined geometrical cues. The proposed technique can be employed for culture substrates made from different polymeric materials and combined with adhesive patterned areas of a broad range of proteins. With this approach, single cells, as well as monolayers, can be subjected to combinations of geometrical cues and contact guidance cues presented by the patterned substrates. Systematic research using combinations of chip materials, protein patterns, and cell types can thus provide fundamental insights into cellular responses to multicue environments.

Traditionally, cell culture is performed on planar substrates that poorly mimic the natural environment of cells in vivo. Here we describe a method to produce cell culture substrates with physiologically relevant curved geometries and micropatterned extracellular proteins, allowing systematic investigations into cellular sensing of these extracellular cues.