Fabrication of Hydrogel Particles of Defined Shapes Using Superhydrophobic-Hydrophilic Micropatterns

Ana I Neto; Konstantin Demir; Anna A Popova; Mariana B Oliveira; João F Mano; Pavel A Levkin

doi:10.1002/adma.201602350

Fabrication of Hydrogel Particles of Defined Shapes Using Superhydrophobic-Hydrophilic Micropatterns

Adv Mater. 2016 Sep;28(35):7613-9. doi: 10.1002/adma.201602350. Epub 2016 Jun 22.

Authors

Ana I Neto^{1

2

3}, Konstantin Demir², Anna A Popova², Mariana B Oliveira^{1

3

4}, João F Mano^{1

3

4}, Pavel A Levkin^{5

6}

Affiliations

¹ 3B's Research Group, University of Minho, Avepark - Parque de Ciência e Tecnologia, Zona Industrial da Gandra, 4805-017, Barco, GMR, Portugal.
² Institute of Toxicology and Genetics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 176344, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany.
³ ICVS/3B's PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4805-017, Barco, GMR, Portugal.
⁴ Department of Chemistry, CICECO, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, 3810-194, Portugal.
⁵ Institute of Toxicology and Genetics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 176344, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany. levkin@kit.edu.
⁶ Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute of Organic Chemistry, Karlsruhe, 76131, Germany. levkin@kit.edu.

PMID: 27332997
DOI: 10.1002/adma.201602350

Abstract

High-throughput fabrication of freestanding hydrogel particles with defined geometry and size for 3D cell culture, cell screenings, and modular tissue engineering is reported. The method employs discontinuous dewetting using superhydrophobic-hydrophilic micropatterns.

Keywords: 3D cell culture; hydrogels; microarrays; superhydrophobic; tissue engineering.