Interface-Directed Self-Assembly of Cell-Laden Microgels

Cell-laden hydro gels show great promise for creating engineered tissues. However, a major shortcoming with these systems has been the inability to fabricate structures with controlled micrometer-scale features on a biologically relevant length scale. In this Full Paper, a rapid method is demonstrated for creating centimeter-scale, cell-laden. hydro gels through the assembly of shape-controlled micro gels or a liquid air interface. Cell-laden micro gels of specific shapes are randomly placed on the surface of a high-density, hydrophobic solution, induced to aggregate and then crosslinked into macroscale tissue-like structures. The resulting assemblies are cell-laden hydro gel sheets consisting of tightly packed, ordered micro gel units. In addition, a hierarchical approach creates complex multigel building blocks, which are then assembled into tissues with precise spatial control over the cell distribution. The results demonstrate that forces at an air liquid interface can be used to self-assemble spatially controllable, cocultured tissue-like structures.