3D LABEL-FREE CONTACTLESS FORMATION OF CELLULAR STRUCTURES AND CO-CULTURES THROUGH DIAMAGNETOPHORESIS

摘要

A novel macroscale, contactless, label-free method to print in situ three-dimensional (3D) particle assemblies of different morphologies and sizes is demonstrated using non-adherent (blood) and adherent (MCF-7 and HUVEC) cells. This method of manipulating particles such as cells or biological moleules does not necessarily require the use of nozzles that can contaminate the cell suspension, or to which cells can adhere. Instead, the intrinsic diamagnetic properties of particles such as cells are used to magnetically manipulate them in situ in a nontoxic paramagnetic medium, creating various shapes such as (a) rectangular bar, (b) three-pointed star, and (c) spheroids of varying sizes. A normal distribution of 3D cell structures is produced when formed through magnetic assembly. The use of this method in co-culturing of different cell lines is also demonstrated. The technique is envisioned to be transferable to other cell lines or diamagnetic biological molecules, with potential applications in tissue engineering, medical diagnostics and drug screening.