Microenvironment array chip for cell culture environment screening

通常，细胞事件（e.例如，在一个实施例中，粘附、延伸、生长、凋亡和分化）强烈依赖于来自由可溶性因子和支架（即，例如，细胞外基质（ECM））。在本研究中，我们开发了“微环境阵列芯片”作为一种新型的灌注培养微室阵列芯片，其中细胞在离散的微室中培养，所述微室具有由ECM和可溶性因子组合构成的不同环境。本文介绍了利用微环境芯片进行高通量细胞培养条件筛选。此外，微流体装置上的细胞培养表面的改性是MicroTAS领域中的一个大问题。然而，离散微室底部上的ECM点的微图案化过程是复杂的。我们开发了一种简单的和可扩展的制造工艺，用于在微室阵列中通过O_2等离子体氧化结合物理掩模进行ECM的微图案化。制作工艺包括镀膜、物理掩模O_2等离子体氧化和后续封接。所有这些过程都足够简单，以实现具有ECM的微室阵列的可规模化生产。

Generally, cellular events(e. g., adhesion, extension, growth, apoptosis and differentiation) strongly depend on extracellular stimuli from surrounding environment composed of soluble factors and scaffolds(i. e., extracellular matrix(ECM)). In this research, we developed the "microenvironment array chip" as a new-type of the perfusion culture microchamber array chip, where cells are cultured in the discrete microchambers with the different environment composed of combination of ECMs and soluble factors. We present the high-throughput cell culture condition screening by the microenvironment array. In addition, modification of cell culture surfaces on microfluidic devices is a big issue in the field of MicroTAS. However, the micropatterning process of ECM spots on the bottom of the discrete microchambers is complicated. We developed a simple and scalable fabrication process for micropatterning of ECM in the microchamber array by O_2 plasma oxidation with physical masking. The fabrication process includes coating, O_2 plasma oxidation with physical masking, and subsequent sealing. All these process are enough simple to enable scalable production of microchamber array with ECMs.