Custom Engineered Tissue Culture Molds from Laser-etched Masters

Summary

Herein we present a rapid, facile, and low-cost method for fabricating custom polydimethylsiloxane molds that can be used for producing hydrogel-based engineered tissues with complex geometries. We additionally describe results from mechanical and histological assessments conducted on engineered cardiac tissues produced using this technique.

Abstract

As the field of tissue engineering has continued to mature, there has been increased interest in a wide range of tissue parameters, including tissue shape. Manipulating tissue shape on the micrometer to centimeter scale can direct cell alignment, alter effective mechanical properties, and address limitations related to nutrient diffusion. In addition, the vessel in which a tissue is prepared can impart mechanical constraints on the tissue, resulting in stress fields that can further influence both the cell and matrix structure. Shaped tissues with highly reproducible dimensions also have utility for in vitro assays in which sample dimensions are critical, such as whole tissue mechanical analysis.

This manuscript describes an alternative fabrication method utilizing negative master molds prepared from laser etched acrylic: these molds perform well with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), permit designs with dimensions on the centimeter scale and feature sizes smaller than 25 µm, and can be rapidly designed and fabricated at a low cost and with minimal expertise. The minimal time and cost requirements allow for laser etched molds to be rapidly iterated upon until an optimal design is determined, and to be easily adapted to suit any assay of interest, including those beyond the field of tissue engineering.

Introduction

Over the past two decades, soft lithography has been used extensively as a fabrication technique to support scientific research, particularly in the fields of microfluidics, materials research, and tissue engineering^1,2,3. Replica molding, in which an object with a desired shape is created from a negative master mold, offers a convenient and low-cost method of producing positive PDMS replicates that can be used for casting shaped hydrogels. However, the required negative master molds are typically produced using microfabrication techniques that are expensive, time-consuming, ....

Protocol

1. Create the Vector Format Master Mold Designs

1. Assemble the desired mold geometry in vector format using a vector graphics program (see Materials, Equipment, and Software Table). Select File| New and create a canvas of appropriate dimensions with RGB color format. Create the desired geometry using the shape tools in the left-hand panel: enter the desired dimensions at the top of the window (click the transform button at the top if not initially visible) to precisely define shape sizes.
   NOTE: Mold geometries should allow for at least a 6-mm border between the edge of the outermost features and the cutting line to pe....

Results

The optics of the laser cutter will cause etched areas to have very slightly decreased dimensions as etching depth increases, and results in mold walls with a very subtle bevel, due to tapering of the laser beam. This will help facilitate the removal of the cast PDMS molds, but should be carefully considered if very deeply etched negative master molds (>6 mm) are required (Figure 1).

Over time in.......

Discussion

Customized PDMS mold geometries that are compatible with tissue culture have great utility in tuning important engineered tissue properties, such as cell alignment, diffusion rate, and effective stiffness. Additionally, these molds are very useful for preparing tissues for analysis applications in which geometry is important, such as mechanical testing^16,17. Preparing these devices from laser cut negative master molds offers a rapid, facile, and low-cost method o.......

Materials

List of materials used in this article

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
Item
Bovine fibrinogen	Sigma	F8630-5G	Constructs
Bovine thrombin	Sigma	T6634-250UN	Constructs
Bovine aprotinin	Sigma	10820-25MG	Constructs
Rat tail collagen I, 4 mg/mL	Advanced Biomatrix	5153-100MG	Constructs
Sodim chloride	Fisher	BP358-10	Constructs
PBS	Life Technologies	14190-250	Constructs
Fine forceps	Fine Science Tools	11252-20	Constructs
Sylgard 184 silicone elastomer	Corning	4019862	PDMS Molds
Lab tape	Fisher	15-901-5R	PDMS Molds
Acrylic, 1/4" thick	McMaster-Carr	8560K356	PDMS Molds
HEPES Buffer, 1 M	Sigma	H3537-100ML	Constructs
RPMI 1640 medium, powder	Fisher	31800-089	Constructs
Calcium chloride dihydrate	Fisher	AC423520250	Constructs
Magnesium chloride hexahydrate	Fisher	M33 500	Constructs
Potassium chloride	Sigma	P9541-500G	Constructs
Sodium phosphate dibasic heptahydrate	Sigma	S9390-500G	Constructs
Glucose	Sigma	G5767-25G	Constructs
OCT	VWR	25608-930	Histology
Frozen block molds	VWR	25608-916	Histology
Hematoxylin	Fisher	3530 1	Histology
Eosin Y	Fisher	AC152880250	Histology
Fast green FCF	Fisher	AC410530250	Histology
Software
Illustrator	Adobe Systems		Vector Graphics
Inkscape	(Open Source)		Vector Graphics
UCP (Universal Control Panel)	Universal Laser Systems		Laser Cutter Interface
Equipment
PLS6.75 Laser Cutter	Universal Laser Systems		Laser Cutter
Micromechanical Analyzer	Aurora Scientific	1530A with 5 mN load cell	Mechanical Analysis