MICROFLUIDIC DEVICES AND RELATED METHODS FOR GENERATION AND/OR CULTURE AND/OR MATURATION OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL CELLS AND/OR TISSUE CONSTRUCTS

摘要

A microfluidic device for controlled generation and/or culture and/or maturation of three-dimensional cells and/or tissue constructs that includes a culture chamber may include: a confinement apparatus configured to define at least one compartment configured to contain a cellular matrix and at least one compartment configured to contain a culture medium, the confinement apparatus being hydrophobic and pervious to the culture medium; and/or at least one counter element. The confinement apparatus and at least one counter element may be reciprocally mobile between resting and compression positions of the cellular matrix. A method for controlled generation and/or culture and/or maturation of three-dimensional cells and/or tissue constructs at a microscale may include: controlled compression of a cellular matrix for a predetermined period of time. The cellular matrix may be delimited by a confinement apparatus that is pervious to a culture medium.