Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is a dominant material in the fabrication of microfluidic devices to generate water-in-oil droplets, particularly lipid-stabilized because its highly hydrophobic nature. However, key property hydrophobicity has hindered use generation oil-in-water which requires channels have hydrophilic surface properties. In this article, we developed, optimized, and characterized method produce PDMS with via deposition polyvinyl alcohol following plasma treatment demonstrated...

Compartmentalization of biological content and function is a key architectural feature in biology, where membrane bound micro- nanocompartments are used for performing host highly specialized tightly regulated functions. The benefit compartmentalization as design principle behind its ubiquity cells has led to it being central engineering theme construction artificial cell-like systems. In this review, we discuss the attractions designing compartmentalized membrane-bound constructs review...

Induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (iPSC-CM) have been widely proposed as in vitro models of myocardial physiology and disease. A significant obstacle, however, is their immature phenotype. We hypothesised that Ca2+ cycling iPSC-CM influenced by culture conditions can be manipulated to obtain a more mature cellular behaviour. To test this hypothesis we seeded onto fibronectin coated microgrooved polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) scaffolds fabricated using photolithography, or...

There is increasing interest in constructing artificial cells by functionalising lipid vesicles with biological and synthetic machinery. Due to their reduced complexity lack of evolved biochemical pathways, the capabilities are limited comparison counterparts. We show that encapsulating living provides a means for leverage cellular biochemistry, encapsulated serving organelle-like functions as modules inside larger cell assembly. Using microfluidic technologies construct such hybrid bionic...

The design of vesicle microsystems as artificial cells (bottom-up synthetic biology) has traditionally relied on the incorporation molecular components to impart functionality. These cell mimics have reduced capabilities compared with their engineered biological counterparts (top-down biology), they lack powerful metabolic and regulatory pathways associated living systems. There is increasing scope for using whole intact cellular functional modules within cells, a route increase cells. In...

Lab-on-Chip is a technology that could potentially revolutionize medical Point-of-Care diagnostics. Considerable research effort focused towards innovating production technologies will make commercial upscaling financially viable. Printed circuit board manufacturing techniques offer several prospects in this field. Here, we present novel approach to Circuit Board (PCB)-based Ag/AgCl reference electrodes, an essential component of biosensors. Our prototypes were characterized both...

We demonstrate a simple, accurate and versatile method to manipulate Parylene C, material widely known for its high biocompatibility, transform it substrate that can effectively control the cellular microenvironment consequently affect morphology function of cells in vitro. The C scaffolds are fabricated by selectively increasing material's surface water affinity through lithography oxygen plasma treatment, providing free bonds attachment hydrophilic biomolecules. micro-engineered constructs...

The effect of O 2 and Ar plasma etching on poly(chloro‐p‐xylylene) (Parylene C) is thoroughly studied by atomic force microscopy, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, static contact angle measurements. Results indicate that changes the topography more drastically than plasma. Furthermore, despite fact expected to be chemically inert, both plasmas introduce surface Parylene C films, while additionally reduces amount Cl present in polymer. viability cultured cardiomyocytes also examined,...

Microfluidics has become recognized as a powerful platform technology associated with constantly increasing array of applications across the life sciences. This surge interest over recent years led to an increased demand for microfluidic chips, resulting in more time being spent cleanroom fabricating devices using soft lithography-a slow and expensive process that requires extensive materials, training significant engineering resources. bottleneck limits complexity byproduct lengthy delays...

Emerging materials in the field of implantable sensors should meet needs for biocompatibility; transparency; flexibility and integrability. In this work; we present an integrated approach implementing flexible bio-sensors based on thin Parylene C films that serve both as support substrates active H+ sensing membranes within same platform. Using standard micro-fabrication techniques; a miniaturized 40-electrode array was implemented 5 μm-thick film. A capping film (1 μm) top plasma oxidized...

Abstract Current platforms for in vitro drug development utilize confluent, unorganized monolayers of heart cells to study the effect on action potential propagation. However, standard cell cultures are limited use cardiac research, as they do not preserve important structural and functional properties myocardium. Here we present a method integrate scaffolding technology with multi-electrode arrays deliver compact, off-the-shelf monitoring platform growing biomimetic tissue. Our approach...

There is a growing demand to construct artificial biomimetic structures from the bottom-up using simple chemical components in controlled and high-throughput way. These cell mimics are encapsulated by lipid membranes can reconstitute biological machinery within them. To date, such synthetic cells based upon droplet microfluidics fabricated non-scalable, expensive time-consuming strategies, thus restricted small-scale in-house manufacturing. Here, we report "cleanroom-free" highly scalable...

Scaffolds are a key component of tissue-engineered heart valves (TEHVs). Several approaches had been adopted in the design scaffolds using both natural and synthetic resources. We have investigated suitability parylene C (PC), vapor deposited polymeric material, for use as scaffold TEHV.To evaluate adsorption extracellular matrix components onto plasma-activated PC study biocompatibility by measuring cellular adhesion, viability, apoptosis, phenotypic expression valve endothelial...

Cell micropatterning has certainly proved to improve the morphological and physiological properties of cardiomyocytes in vitro; however, there is little knowledge on single cell–scaffold interactions that influence cells' development differentiation culture. In this study, we employ hydrophobic/hydrophilic micropatterned Parylene C thin films (2–10 μm) as cell microscaffolds can control morphology microtubule density neonatal rat ventricular myocytes (NRVM) by regulating their adhesion area...

The objective of any cell culturing platform is to decipher the in vivo functionality native tissue order deliver reliable models for disease and pharmacological studies eventually patient-specific engineering. We present a new perspective lab-on-chip implementations culturing, emphasizing on versatile technology micropatterning that can integrate electrical pH monitoring modalities record extracellular activity. employ Parylene C, highly biocompatible material, as flexible culture substrate...

Cardiac fibroblasts influence cardiomyocyte structure and function through direct physical interaction and/or by the secretion of soluble factors. A role for cardiac in cardiomyopathies has been proposed but clear mechanisms are still lacking. This vitro study set out to characterise from patients with dilated cardiomyopathy on Ca2+ cycling, a fundamental mechanism universally altered disease. Human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (iPS-CMs) were cultured human DCM...

Neonatal and stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes differ from adult heart cells in their structure function, limiting use pharmacological studies. Establishment of anisotropic cultures can improve the functional properties cardiomyocytes; however, mechanism that links improvement with ultrastructural reorganisation is unclear. Microtubules act as a link between mechanical stimuli response cardiac but whether they are affected during cellular alignment culture unknown. In this study neonatal rat...

Compartmentalised structures based on lipid-stabilised double emulsions (multisomes) have recently attracted great interest in translational healthcare as potential micro-bioreactors for the synthesis of high-end materials, situ drug and delivery, encapsulation small molecules cells, building blocks cell-like bottom-up synthetic biology. In contrast to surfactant-stabilised systems, systems are particularly more challenging fabricate, mainly because many materials surface modification...