Fabrication of cell-based bio-microdevice by bottom-up approach

在本研究中，我们旨在建立主要由单细胞组成的三维“生物微装置”的制造方法。此外，我们试图揭示在生物微器件的制造过程中发生的自组织机制。我们发现肝细胞和水凝胶珠的聚集和培养导致肝球体中网状微血管的形成。我们还建立了一种利用胰腺α和β细胞制造假胰岛的方法。伪胰岛不仅在特定的α / β比值下获得更高的胰岛素生成速率，而且具有真正的胰岛样结构。此外，还发现糖链参与了细胞重排。这些结果表明，对制造“生物微装置”的工艺和机制的理解的发展将导致像假胰岛这样的创新产品的出现。

In this study, we aimed to establish the methods for fabrication of three-dimensional "bio-microdevice" that is mainly comprised of single cells. In addition, we tried to reveal the mechanisms of self-organization occurring in the process of the fabrication of bio-microdevices.We found that aggregation and cultivation of hepatic cells and hydrogel beads resulted in the formation of network-like microvessels in the hepatic spheroids.We also established a method for fabrication of the pseudo-islet using pancreatic alpha and beta cells. The pseudo-islet acquired not only higher insulin production rate in a specific alpha/beta ratio but also the real islet-like structure. Moreover, it was revealed that sugar chains were involved in the cell-rearrangement.These results indicate that development of the processes and understanding of the mechanisms to fabricate "bio-microdevice" lead to innovative product like the pseudo-islet.