Biofabrication techniques to analyze and steer mechanobiology of epithelia

The motivation for this project area is to develop novel biofabrication techniques, tailored biomaterials, and methods to analyze how (stem) cells and epithelia respond to structural, physical, and mechanical properties and forces in 3D constructs and to study how their functions and behavior can be steered. The biomaterial constructs can be designed and produced to control these properties on the nm, µm, and mm scale, while they can be programmed to be dynamically altered via response to cell-induced or external triggers, such as magnetic, acoustic, or electric fields and light. Development of engineering tools that operate at the required time and length scale and allow for multimodal stimulation and measurements require know-how in mechanical, chemical, and electrical engineering. The project area bundles this type of engineering expertise and is tightly linked to the research in the other project areas in order to understand the experimental necessities and answer mechanobiological questions. Depending on the needs for each project, the building blocks can be adjusted especially with regard to stiffness, degradation kinetics, orientation, can be bioprinted into the desired architectures, and can finally be analyzed in situ in the cross-talk with the embedded cells.
Development of light-driven deformable and electroactive 3D scaffolds for electromechanical modulation of epidermal tissues
Neuroelectronic Interfaces, RWTH Aachen University
Francesca Santoro
Principal Investigator
Dahiana Mojena Medina
Junior Investigator
Marco Buzio
Associated Doctoral Researcher
Thesis Title
Xin Yang
Doctoral Researcher
Development of a 3D oriented material construct to establish a human innervated skin disease model
Project overview. The aim is to use light-driven deformable 3D pillars (a-b) and photo-electroactive 3D pillars (c-d) to regulate keratinocyte motility, differentiation, and proliferations. (a, a’) shows poly(disperse red 1)-based light-driven deformable 3D pillars that were fabricated by means of photolithography and electron beam lithography [(a) before and (a’) after light stimulation]. (b, b’) shows fluorescence microscopy of Lifeact-RFP transfected U2OS cells growing on light-driven pillars before (b) and after light stimulation (b’). Scale bar: 10 µm. (c, c’) Shows F-actin ring-like arrangements of neurons around P3HT micropillars indicating membrane wrapping. The cells were transfected with Lifeact-RFP. Scale bar: 5 μm. (d, d’) Depicts paxillin-rich adhesions on P3HT micropillars (zoomed-in inset; green puncta). Cells were stained with TRITC-phalloidin (actin, red) and anti-paxillin antibodies (green). Scale bars: 5 μm, inset: 2 μm.