Research on the use of hydrogel for the three-dimensional cell culture in microfluidic system

This paper presents a possibility of use of hydrogel in microfluidic system, which can be a promising tool for three-dimensional cell culture. In the research the commercially available self-assembling peptide hydrogel Puramatrix was used. Gelation of this hydrogel is initiated by the contact with culture medium. That's why it is critical that no salts or culture medium come in contact with this hydrogel until gelation is desired. The geometry of the designed microdevice enables hydrodynamic focusing of liquid hydrogel-cells mixture and then gelation of the mixture in the middle of the main microchannel due to the flow of the culture medium. As a sheath fluid sucrose solution was used. It provides also, in the first stage, isolation of culture medium (containing gelling salts) from liquid mixture of hydrogel and cells. When the flow of sucrose solution is turned off, the culture medium starts to be in contact to the hydrogel mixed with cell. As a result, simultaneously gelation of the hydrogel and encapsulation of cells in it are successfully achieved.