3D Cell Culture

Unrivalled performances

• Control over the shape, height and stiffness of photosensitive hydrogels
• Polymerization of hydrogels with already embedded cells
• Cell alignment with preexisting topographies

Control over the shape, height and stiffness

PRIMO enables the photopolymerization of biological UV-sensitive hydrogels into chosen features at resolutions allowing reproducible 3D cell culture models growth.  Our technology provides a wide range of possible heights thanks to the tunable UV dose and a great flexibility in the pattern designs.

In this example, hydrogel structuration was used to predefine geometrically control 3D hydrogel structures to guide biliary epithelial cells’ organization. These features serve as reproducible models of intrahepatic bile tube organogenesis.

Polymerization of hydrogels with already embedded cells

PRIMO also allows creating hydrogel features from a  hydrogel mix that already has integrates cells.

Here thanks to the optimization of the hydrogel composition and the initial shape of polymerization, the cholangiocyte cells self-organized into a lumen with the same characteristics and size as the initial geometry.

Functional characterization of BSPPs with a FDA assay. 7-day-old BSPPs were incubated with FDA and imaged with fluorescence microscope to evaluate the transport of fluorescein inside the lumen. 

Confocal imaging of BSPPs after 7 days of culture in media supplemented with Matrigel for 5 days. NRC form single-layer tubular structures from a tree-like branching structure.

Elsa Mazari-Arrighi et al., Biomaterials, 2021.

Cell alignment with preexisting topographies

With PRIMO it is possible to precisely micropattern cells on hydrogel topographies. This can be very useful in differentiation and morphogenesis studies.

Down below, they seeded myoblasts on circular fibronectin rings enclosing non-adhesive micro-pillars to study the stresses generated by the cell’s mounds. Cell compression around the pillars was measured to further access stresses in tissue morphogenesis