Three-dimensional pattern formation of magnetically labeled microgel beads for biological tissue engineering

Abstract

We commenced basic research on the three-dimensional (3D) pattern formation of microgel beads for applications in biological tissue engineering. In this new technique, microgel beads are premagnetized by doping them with magnetic nanoparticles. Living cells will be included in the beads for actual use. If a nonuniform magnetic field is applied to a solution containing these magnetized beads, the beads will align, contact, and form a 3D structure. The structure is controlled by the seed pattern of the magnetic particles plugged in a substrate and the profile of the magnetic field distribution. We constructed tubes, which imitate blood vessels, for demonstration using gel beads whose diameters are of the order of several tens of micrometers. The diameter of the demonstrated tube was less than 0.5 mm and its length was 6.6 mm, although living cells were not included in the beads. Numerical calculations by using the discrete element method were conducted to confirm the formation of the tube and to predict the effect of centrifugal force, which will be applied to fill cells in the space between magnetically patterned beads. Although this unique technology is in the nascent stage, this 3D pattern formation technique by the control of the magnetic field has potential to be one of the effective engineering technologies for manufacturing 3D patterned biological tissues in the future.

Controlled Shape Transformation and Loading Release of Smart Hemispherical Hybrid Microgels Triggered by ‘Inner Engines’

“…Microgels, composed of three dimensional cross‐linked polymer networks together with their solvents, have been used in various fields over the past decades, such as sensors, drug delivery, cell culture, tissue engineering, catalysis, and photonic crystals . To date, various types of microgels, with different compositions, shapes, sizes, functions, and etc ., have been developed by various conventional and unconventional synthesis techniques, such as emulsion polymerization, templating, microfluidics, most of which mainly based on two kinds of gelation mechanisms: physical and chemical gelation.…”