How Microgels Can Improve the Impact of Organ-on-Chip and Microfluidic Devices for 3D Culture: Compartmentalization, Single Cell Encapsulation and Control on Cell Fate

Argentiere, Simona; Siciliano, Pietro Aleardo; Blasi, Laura

doi:10.3390/polym13193216

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How Microgels Can Improve the Impact of Organ-on-Chip and Microfluidic Devices for 3D Culture: Compartmentalization, Single Cell Encapsulation and Control on Cell Fate

by

Simona Argentiere

,

Pietro Aleardo Siciliano

and

Laura Blasi

^*

Institute for Microelectronics and Microsystems IMM-CNR, Via Monteroni, University Campus, 73100 Lecce, Italy

^*

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Polymers 2021, 13(19), 3216; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13193216

Submission received: 27 July 2021 / Revised: 27 August 2021 / Accepted: 30 August 2021 / Published: 23 September 2021

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Microgels: Synthesis and Application)

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Abstract

The Organ-on-chip (OOC) devices represent the new frontier in biomedical research to produce micro-organoids and tissues for drug testing and regenerative medicine. The development of such miniaturized models requires the 3D culture of multiple cell types in a highly controlled microenvironment, opening new challenges in reproducing the extracellular matrix (ECM) experienced by cells in vivo. In this regard, cell-laden microgels (CLMs) represent a promising tool for 3D cell culturing and on-chip generation of micro-organs. The engineering of hydrogel matrix with properly balanced biochemical and biophysical cues enables the formation of tunable 3D cellular microenvironments and long-term in vitro cultures. This focused review provides an overview of the most recent applications of CLMs in microfluidic devices for organoids formation, highlighting microgels’ roles in OOC development as well as insights into future research.

Keywords: organ-on chip; 3D culture; cell-laden microgels; microencapsulation; compartmentalization; single-cell encapsulation; cell fate; stem cells

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MDPI and ACS Style

Argentiere, S.; Siciliano, P.A.; Blasi, L. How Microgels Can Improve the Impact of Organ-on-Chip and Microfluidic Devices for 3D Culture: Compartmentalization, Single Cell Encapsulation and Control on Cell Fate. Polymers 2021, 13, 3216. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13193216

AMA Style

Argentiere S, Siciliano PA, Blasi L. How Microgels Can Improve the Impact of Organ-on-Chip and Microfluidic Devices for 3D Culture: Compartmentalization, Single Cell Encapsulation and Control on Cell Fate. Polymers. 2021; 13(19):3216. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13193216

Chicago/Turabian Style

Argentiere, Simona, Pietro Aleardo Siciliano, and Laura Blasi. 2021. "How Microgels Can Improve the Impact of Organ-on-Chip and Microfluidic Devices for 3D Culture: Compartmentalization, Single Cell Encapsulation and Control on Cell Fate" Polymers 13, no. 19: 3216. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13193216

APA Style

Argentiere, S., Siciliano, P. A., & Blasi, L. (2021). How Microgels Can Improve the Impact of Organ-on-Chip and Microfluidic Devices for 3D Culture: Compartmentalization, Single Cell Encapsulation and Control on Cell Fate. Polymers, 13(19), 3216. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13193216

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

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How Microgels Can Improve the Impact of Organ-on-Chip and Microfluidic Devices for 3D Culture: Compartmentalization, Single Cell Encapsulation and Control on Cell Fate

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