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

本研究旨在建立以单细胞为主的三维生物微器件的制作方法。此外，我们还试图揭示生物微器件制作过程中的自组织机制，发现肝细胞和水凝胶珠的聚集和培养导致了肝球体中网状微血管的形成，并建立了利用胰腺α和β细胞制作假胰岛的方法。假胰岛不仅获得了特定α/β比的较高胰岛素产生率，而且获得了真实的胰岛样结构。这些结果表明，随着对“生物微器件”制造工艺的不断发展和对机理的深入理解，“生物微器件”的创新产品如“假胰岛”的出现将越来越多。

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.