3D Microfluidic Device for Perfusion Culture of Spheroids

Abstract

We propose a 3D spheroid trapping device featured with a gel formed in the proximity with the spheroids to facilitate spheroid adhesion and perfusion. The device is composed of an upper channel to introduce pre-gel solutions, a bridge region to form a gel and a lower channel to trap a spheroid and perfuse culture media. Due to surface-tension-assisted microfluidic functions, a gel is formed only in the bridge region. The gel performs as an anchoring scaffold for spheroids and enables media perfusion. As a result of spheroid culture, angiogenic vascular sprouts were formed and the sprouts had branched lumen structure. We believe this device will contribute widely to biomedical studies.