Layer-by-layer Collagen Deposition in Microfluidic Devices for Microtissue Stabilization

Summary

The creation of functional microtissues within microfluidic devices requires the stabilization of cell phenotypes by adapting traditional cell culture techniques to the limited spatial dimensions in microdevices. Modification of collagen allows the layer-by-layer deposition of ultrathin collagen assemblies that can stabilize primary cells, such as hepatocytes, as microfluidic tissue models.

Abstract

Although microfluidics provides exquisite control of the cellular microenvironment, culturing cells within microfluidic devices can be challenging. 3D culture of cells in collagen type I gels helps to stabilize cell morphology and function, which is necessary for creating microfluidic tissue models in microdevices. Translating traditional 3D culture techniques for tissue culture plates to microfluidic devices is often difficult because of the limited channel dimensions. In this method, we describe a technique for modifying native type I collagen to generate polycationic and polyanionic collagen solutions that can be used with layer-by-layer deposition to create ultrathin collagen assemblies on top of cells cultured in microfluidic devices. These thin collagen layers stabilize cell morphology and function, as shown using primary hepatocytes as an example cell, allowing for the long term culture of microtissues in microfluidic devices.

Introduction

Although microfluidics allows for the exquisite control of the cellular microenvironment, culturing cells, especially primary cells, within microfluidic devices can be challenging. Many traditional cell culture techniques have been developed to sustain and stabilize cell function when cultured in tissue culture plates, but translating those techniques to microfluidic devices is often difficult.

One such technique is the culture of cells on or sandwiched between collagen gels as a model of the physiological 3D cell environment.¹ Type I collagen is one of the most frequently used proteins for biomaterials applications because of i....

Protocol

1. Preparation of the Native Soluble Collagen Solution

1. Prepare or purchase 200 mg of acidified, soluble, type I collagen from rat tails at 1–3 mg/ml using standard isolation protocols, such as reported by Piez et al.¹⁵
2. Scale the amount of starting material based on the desired end volume of modified collagen solutions. Approximately make 25–30 ml of methylated and 25–30 ml of succinylated collagen solutions, each at 3 mg/ml, from 200 mg of soluble native collagen.

2. Collagen Methylation

1. Dilute 100 mg of the native, acidified (pH 2–3) collagen solution to a....

Results

Native collagen can be modified using methylation and succinylation to create polycationic and polyanionic collagen solutions for use in layer-by-layer deposition. Succinylation modifies the ε-amino groups of native collagen with succinyl groups, and methylation modifies the carboxyl groups of native collagen with a methyl group (Figure 1A). These modifications to the collagen protein amino acid side chains alter the pH titration curves for the solutions. Succinylation reduces the number of amino groups .......

Discussion

Ultrathin pure collagen assemblies can be deposited on charged cells or material surfaces using layer-by-layer deposition of modified collagens. The results of this study demonstrate that methylation and succinylation of native collagen create polycationic and polyanionic collagen solutions (Figure 1) that can be used with the layer-by-layer technique to deposit ultrathin collagen matrix assemblies on cells (Figure 2) or other charged material surfaces. Such ultrathin matrix layers can s.......

Materials

List of materials used in this article

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
collagen type I, rat tail	Life Technologies	A1048301	option for concentrated rat tail collagen
collagen type I, rat tail	Sigma-Aldrich	C3867-1VL	option for concentrated rat tail collagen
collagen type I, rat tail	EMD Millipore	08-115	option for concentrated rat tail collagen
collagen type I, rat tail	R%D Systems	3440-100-01	option for concentrated rat tail collagen
succinic anhydride	Sigma-Aldrich	239690-50G	succinylation reagent
anhydrous methanol	Sigma-Aldrich	322415-100ML	methylation reagent
sodium hydroxide	Sigma-Aldrich	S5881-500G	pH precipitation reagent
hydrochloric acid	Sigma-Aldrich	320331-500ML	pH precipitation reagent
rat collagen type I ELISA	Chondrex	6013	option for detecting collagen content
hydroxyproline assay kit	Sigma-Aldrich	MAK008-1KT	option for detecting collagen content
hydroxyproline assay kit	Quickzyme Biosciences	QZBtotcol1	option for detecting collagen content