Large‐Scale Fabrication of 3D Scaffold‐Based Patterns of Microparticles and Breast Cancer Cells using Reusable Acoustofluidic Device

Abstract

Spatial distribution of biological cells plays a key role in tissue engineering for reconstituting the cellular microenvironment, and recently, acoustofluidics are explored as a viable tool for controlling structures in tissue fabrication because of its good biocompatibility, low‐power consumption, automation capability, nature of non‐invasive, and non‐contact. Herein, a reusable acoustofluidic device is developed using surface acoustic waves for manipulating microparticles/cells to form a 3D matrix pattern inside a scaffold‐based hydrogel contained in a millimetric chamber. The 3D patterned and polymerized hydrogel construct can be easily and safely removed from the chamber using a proposed lifting technique, which prevent any physical damages or contaminations and promote the reusability of the chamber. The generated 3D patterns of microparticles and cells are numerically studied using a finite‐element method, which is well validated by the experimental results. The proposed acoustofluidic device is a useful tool for in vitro engineering 3D scaffold‐based artificial tissues for drug and toxicity testing and building organs‐on‐chip applications.

Manipulation of self‐assembled three‐dimensional architecture in reusable acoustofluidic device

“…Moreover, a 3D simulation model will be helpful for predicting the formation of 3D patterns. The influence of acoustic power on the 3D pattern was investigated in our previous report [29]. Thereby, increasing the acoustic power (i.e., power of electrical signals applied to SAW device) will lead to the increase of fluid temperature inside the chamber.…”

“…When the acoustic waves from SAW device penetrate fluid containing inside a microfluidic chamber, they will be reflected and/or absorbed by the top wall of the chamber. The transmission of acoustic waves from lithium niobite substrate into a superstrate led to the formation of Lamb waves [25][26][27][28] and 3D matrix patterns [29]. Consequently, the formation of 3D pattern will be significantly influenced by the material and geometry of the top wall as well as any structure inserts inside the chamber.…”

Three-dimensional heating and patterning dynamics of particles in microscale acoustic tweezers

“…1–6 The utilization of the acoustophoretic effect has been demonstrated for diverse biomedical engineering applications, including focusing of cells to enable a high-throughput analysis 7,8 and separation of different cell species 9–11 or exosomes 12 from whole blood to implement a cell-level therapy. Moreover, three-dimensional trapping and the precise control of the position was shown for particles and cells 13–15 as well as for much larger living microorganisms. 16…”

Enhancing metabolic activity and differentiation potential in adipose mesenchymal stem cells via high-resolution surface-acoustic-wave contactless patterning

“…Cagelike structures were shown after 30 h due to cell migration, growth, and interactions with F-actin alignment. Conversely, in a collagen type I hydrogel, breast cancer cell line MCF-7 cells were patterned and polymerized after 10 min at neutral pH and 37 °C by heat transfer from the IDTs, thus preserving cell viability 22 . In another study, coaligned HUVECs and hASCs were patterned and preserved in a catechol-conjugated hyaluronic acid scaffold and further implanted in a mouse model to create a functional collateral vascularized cylindroid for ischemia therapy 2 .…”