Cell Dome-based transfection array for non-adherent suspension cells

Cell-based microarrays are valuable tools for analyzing cellular functions. However, a significant limitation of conventional microarrays is their inapplicability to non-adherent cells. In this study, we investigated the potential of the ‘Cell Dome’ (diameter: 1 mm, height: approximately 300 µm) with a 90 µm-thick hydrogel shell as a gene transfection array for non-adherent cells in suspension. The human lymphoma cell line (K562 cells), used as a model for non-adherent cells, was transfected more efficiently by Lipofectamine/pDNA complexes on a composite hydrogel made of polyvinyl alcohol derivative (PVA-Ph) and chitosan derivative (chitosan-Ph) than hydrogels composed of an alginate derivative or PVA-Ph alone. Moreover, no significant adverse effects on the viability and proliferation of the enclosed cells were observed for Cell Dome with a PVA-Ph/chitosan-Ph composite hydrogel shell. Lipofectamine/pDNA complexes released from the bottom of Cell Domes could transfect the enclosed cells without leaking or contaminating adjacent Cell Domes. These results demonstrate the potential of Cell Domes with an appropriate hydrogel shell as transfection arrays for non-adherent cells in suspension, thereby expanding the range of applications of cell-based array technologies. This novel Cell-Dome transfection array would be a valuable tool for analyzing the cellular function of non-adherent cells in suspension and showcases the potential for providing important biomedical insights for future research and developments.