Overview of Micro- and Nano-Technology Tools for Stem Cell Applications: Micropatterned and Microelectronic Devices

Abstract

In the past few decades the scientific community has been recognizing the paramount role of the cell microenvironment in determining cell behavior. In parallel, the study of human stem cells for their potential therapeutic applications has been progressing constantly. The use of advanced technologies, enabling one to mimic the in vivo stem cell microenviroment and to study stem cell physiology and physio-pathology, in settings that better predict human cell biology, is becoming the object of much research effort. In this review we will detail the most relevant and recent advances in the field of biosensors and micro- and nano-technologies in general, highlighting advantages and disadvantages. Particular attention will be devoted to those applications employing stem cells as a sensing element.

Mimicking Tissue Boundaries by Sharp Multiparameter Matrix Interfaces

“…Current strategies in biomaterials engineering aim to mimic the heterogeneous complexity of the microstructural and compositional characteristics of native tissues for in vitro and in vivo applications. A better implementation of multiple biochemical and biophysical signals as well as the observance of the 3D microstructure of the extracellular matrix (ECM) is key to study cell behavior in a physiologically relevant context and for a successful translation of these new biomaterials engineering principles in regenerative and therapeutic applications . The structural heterogeneity of native tissues and the occurrence of distinct tissue boundaries are well‐known to play crucial roles in developmental, physiological, and pathological processes like cell invasion in wounded tissues and provisional matrices as well as well‐organized cartilage tissue with zones of differing orientation and density of collagen fibers .…”

Alterations of field potentials in isotropic cardiomyocyte cell layers induced by multiple endogenous pacemakers under normal and hypothermal conditions

“…In particular, the cultivation of autonomous contracting cardiomyocyte cell cultures on microelectrode arrays (MEAs) permits both long-term and real-time monitoring of electrophysiological changes induced by external mechanical, chemical, or thermal stress (10) in a wide range of cardiovascular basic research applications (5,12,49) including pharmacological (drug or toxicity) testing (20,33,36,38,41,43,44,54,55). MEA technology serves as a high-throughput alternative to standard patch-clamp electrophysiology with relatively low costs (8,40) where single electrodes of a MEA facilitate the registration of extracellular field potentials (FPs) at a multiplicity of defined points on the bottom of a cell culture. This enables the investigation of cellular electrical activity and electrophysiological alterations of entire myocardial cell complexes, including the spread of excitation and conduction velocity (CV) with high spatial and temporal resolution due to a linear relationship between relevant intrinsic features of FPs and action potentials (APs) (17).…”

In Vitro Microscale Models for Embryogenesis

“…The PDMS has a strong affinity for hydrophobic molecules, including drugs and soluble factors diluted in the cell culture medium, which can be absorbed over time. [85] In addition, several studies have shown that cell metabolism and proliferation are affected during prolonged culture. [86] Regardless of the clinical potential of embryo/EB -on-a-chip devices to emulate complex architectural microenvironments, transform the development of drug testing models, and perhaps help to understand embryo development from animal models, these systems face several challenges.…”