Study of relationship between culture microenvironments of embryoid bodies and differentiation properties of stem cells

本研究探讨了类胚体培养微环境对干细胞分化的影响。为了控制EBS的培养微环境，我们利用微细加工和表面修饰技术，设计了两种微孔芯片和微图案芯片。在微孔芯片培养中，微孔直径、微孔间距和微孔数量对EBS的生长和分化均有影响。在微图案芯片培养中，当分离距离小于500微米时，相邻EBS的存在会影响EBS的生长和分化。这些结果表明，EBS培养微环境的设计是调节干细胞特性的重要因素。

In this study, we investigated that the effects of culture microenvironments of embryoid bodies (EBs) on the stem cell differentiation. To control the culture microenvironments of EBs, we designed two kinds of microchips, microwell and micropattern chips by microfabrication and surface modification techniques. In the microwell chip culture, growth and differentiation of EBs were influenced by the microwell diameter, distance between the microwells, and microwell numbers. In the micropattern chip culture, growth and differentiation of EBs were influenced by the presence of neighboring EBs when the separation distance was less than 500 micron. These results indicated that the designs of culture microenvironments of EBs are important factors for regulation of stem cell properties.