A 3D-Printed Oxygen Control Insert for a 24-Well Plate

PLoS One. 2015 Sep 11;10(9):e0137631. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0137631. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

3D printing has emerged as a method for directly printing complete microfluidic devices, although printing materials have been limited to oxygen-impermeable materials. We demonstrate the addition of gas permeable PDMS (Polydimethylsiloxane) membranes to 3D-printed microfluidic devices as a means to enable oxygen control cell culture studies. The incorporation of a 3D-printed device and gas-permeable membranes was demonstrated on a 24-well oxygen control device for standard multiwell plates. The direct printing allows integrated distribution channels and device geometries not possible with traditional planar lithography. With this device, four different oxygen conditions were able to be controlled, and six wells were maintained under each oxygen condition. We demonstrate enhanced transcription of the gene VEGFA (vascular endothelial growth factor A) with decreasing oxygen levels in human lung adenocarcinoma cells. This is the first 3D-printed device incorporating gas permeable membranes to facilitate oxygen control in cell culture.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cell Culture Techniques / instrumentation
  • Cell Culture Techniques / methods
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Humans
  • Membranes, Artificial
  • Oxygen / analysis*
  • Oxygen / metabolism
  • Printing, Three-Dimensional / instrumentation*
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A

Substances

  • Membranes, Artificial
  • VEGFA protein, human
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
  • Oxygen

Grants and funding

This work was supported by National Science Foundation 1253060, DTE (http://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1253060). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.