Speaker
Description
Introduction
A microfluidic device supported by a hydrogel matrix and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is a promising tool in developing cancer cell research. These innovative lab-on-chip (LOC) systems enable precise microenvironment control, mimicking in vivo conditions to enhance cancer colony growth and, next, cancer treatment. The integration of hydrogels with microfluidic platforms facilitates the spheroid culture of cancer cells. Moreover, the developed microfluidic environments regulate biochemical and biophysical stimuli, offering a more physiological system compared to traditional 2D cultures [1].
Methods
Hydrogels composed of natural polymers such as sodium alginate and methylcellulose were prepared to provide a matrix that supports cell growth, adhesion, and proliferation. The developed and fabricated hydrogels were mechanically validated by compression test, and degradation evaluation was conducted by in vitro conditions. Furthermore, the hydrogels' cytotoxicity tests were investigated using H69AR lung cancer cells. The designed shape of the hydrogel matrix was obtained by one of the additive manufacturing (AM) technologies - extrusion of the polymer ink. Then, the geometry and structure of the 3D print were stabilized by crosslinking with a CaCl2 solution (1M).
Carbon nanotubes have been incorporated into hydrogels as nanoparticles (powder). Due to the unique properties of CNTs, they have been added to the hydrogel matrix to improve its biological utility. Moreover, CNTs incorporated into hydrogel matrices can also increase their mechanical stability, making them suitable for long-term culture and examination of mutated cells.
Synthetic polymeric light-curing resins (e.g., VisiJet M3 Crystal, GR-10) were used for AM (multi-stream and digital light processing technologies with post-processing requirements) of lab-on-chip substrates and casing. These structures were designed to include, e.g. microchannels and microchambers for spatial and controlled fluid flow, thus enabling cell culture directly on-chip.
Results
The natural hydrogels showed sufficient structural stability in vitro for 7 days (evaluation time). In addition, the low cytotoxicity of the materials used for both hydrogels, substrates, and casing fabrication was indicated. This resulted in a high percentage of survival of H69AR cells in the presence of the aforementioned materials and even enhanced proliferation (an increase in cell viability relative to the control group - cells in a cultivating bottle).
Various AM technologies were used to obtain a ready-to-use microfluidic device. The LOC-type system developed and demonstrated enables precise spatial and temporal control of fluid flow, facilitating 3D perfusion cultures that better simulate physiological conditions.
Discussion
In conclusion, the presented microfluidic LOC system based on hydrogels and CNTs represents a promising and versatile platform for cancer cell research. The ability of the microdevice to mimic the natural cellular environment enables real-time monitoring and future-planned research on photodynamic therapy [2], which underscores its potential to revolutionize cancer diagnosis and therapy.
References
[1] Cieślak A. et al., “Overview of research on additive manufacturing of hydrogel-assisted lab-on-chip platforms for cell engineering applications in photodynamic therapy research,” Microchimica Acta, vol. 191, no. 10, p. 608, 2024.
[2] Zuchowska A. et al., “3D lung spheroid cultures for evaluation of photodynamic therapy (PDT) procedures in microfluidic Lab-on-a-Chip system,” Anal Chim Acta, vol. 990, pp. 110–120, 2017.
42705201505