Engineering individually addressable cellular spheroids using aqueous two-phase systems
AssigneeThe University of Akron
InventorsHossein Tavana, Ehsan Atefi, Stephanie Lemmo Ham
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Abstract
Provided is multi-phase systems that may be used to prepare a three-dimension aggregate of cells referred to as a cellular spheroid. The multi-phase system includes a droplet of an aqueous polymer phase within an immersion aqueous polymer phase. The droplet of the droplet aqueous polymer phase contains a three-dimensional aggregate of cells (cellular spheroid). Types of cells that may be used in the multi-phases system include stem cells and cancer cells. The cellular spheroids with the multi-phase system may be used to monitor cell growth in three-dimensional systems, or screen drugs in a three-dimension aggregate of cells.
Claims12
A method of producing a cellular spheroid comprising:
- providing a well containing an immersion aqueous polymer phase;
- inserting a droplet aqueous polymer phase to form a substantially spherical droplet, where the droplet aqueous polymer phase is immiscible with the immersion aqueous polymer phase;
- inserting cells selected from cancer and stem cells into the droplet aqueous polymer phase;
- and
- allowing the cells to self assemble into a spheroid.
A method of producing a cellular spheroid comprising:
- providing a well containing an immersion aqueous polymer phase;
- inserting a droplet aqueous polymer phase to form a droplet with a high contact angle, where the droplet aqueous polymer phase is immiscible with the immersion aqueous polymer phase;
- inserting cells selected from cancer and stem cells into the droplet aqueous polymer phase;
- and
- allowing the cells to self assemble into a spheroid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.