Multiplex system for stem cell culture and in situ assay

描述（由申请人提供）：该项目涉及技术的发展，以简化在培养中操作干细胞的能力，并自动获取这些细胞的信息。有人提出了一种系统，该系统使用微加工技术——与制造计算机芯片的技术相同——来制造可以生长干细胞的小室的大阵列。每个培养室的培养条件可以变化，允许同时进行许多实验。此外，使用电场将单个细胞定位在这些腔室中，允许显著增加干细胞集落的密度，从而在每个芯片上增加更多的腔室数量。该微系统将对腔室进行环境控制（温度，pH值，氧气），并将连接到自动显微镜系统，以允许对细胞表型进行原位分析。完整的系统将有一个小的外形因素（玻璃幻灯片的大小），并且足够便宜，可以广泛使用。初步研究将检查自分泌信号在维持小鼠胚胎干细胞表型中的作用，使用微流体精确地将不同浓度和流速的细胞因子输送到细胞菌落。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This project concerns the development of technology to streamline the ability to manipulate stem cells in culture and automate the acquisition of information from these cells. A system is proposed that uses microfabrication--the same technology used to make computer chips--to make large arrays of small chambers in which one can grow stem cells. The culture conditions in each of these chambers can be varied, allowing one to perform many experiments simultaneously. In addition, single cells will be positioned in these chambers using electric fields, allowing for a significant increase in the density of stem cell colonies, and thus a higher number of chambers on each chip. This microsystem will have environmental control of the chambers (temperature, pH, oxygen) and will couple to an automated microscopy system to allow for in situ analysis of cell phenotype. The complete system will have a small form factor (the size of a glass slide) and be inexpensive enough to be widely accessible. Initial studies will be performed examining the role of autocrine signaling on the maintenance of mouse embryonic stem cell phenotype, using the microfluidics to precisely deliver varying concentrations and flow rates of cytokines to the cell colonies.