细胞三维受控组装为组织工程和再生医学等研究领域拓展了新的理论和技术。由于器官是由不同细胞组成并具有复杂微观结构的三维结构体,多细胞组装是细胞组装技术发展的关键。针对多细胞组装问题,本研究基于气动控制的多细胞组装平台,利用压缩空气作为动力,采用非水平排列方法设计多喷头模块,设计并构建了实现多细胞三维受控组装的硬件系统和控制系统,并基于该系统进行了3种颜色基质材料的组装和2种活细胞的组装实验。结果表明:本系统可实现3个喷头的准确切换和组装,组装过程中喷头喷射的启停响应迅速,启停响应延迟小于5ms;成型精度小于30μm,喷头间不易发生干扰;系统易于实现多喷头扩展和控制。该系统在三维空间内可完成3种材料的阶梯结构、圆环形腔结构、多边形结构等多种有重要生物应用价值结构的成型组装,并完成2种活细胞组装。CD34和Oilred0染色实验结果显示,组装的细胞在结构内生长良好,细胞定位准确并保持细胞性状。本研究为制造复杂的人体组织和器官提供了新的技术。
Three-dimension controlled cell-assembly technology provides new theory and technology for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Organs have complex three-dimensional structures composed of different cells. The multi-cell assembly technique is one crucial tool to development of cell-assembly technology. In this study, we developed a multi-cell assembly technique based on the pneumatic control. We designed and constructed pneumatic nozzle model by making use of compressed air as power and non-horizontal arrangement method. Based on this system,we conducted a series of cell assembly experiments on three kinds of color matrix material and two kinds of living cells. Results demonstrated that the system can realize accurate switching and assembly among three nozzles. In the assembling process,jet of nozzle responds quickly at start-stop, moreover, the start-stop response delay is short than 5 ms and the forming precision is small than 30 μm, the positions of nozzle is accurate, nozzles were not interfere with others, and the system is easy to realize and convenient for multi-nozzle extend and control. Based on the system, the molding assembly of many kinds of important biological value structure of three kinds of materials, such as ladder structure, circular cavity structure and Polygonal structure can be completed. On the other hand, the assembly of two living cells can also be completed. The results of CD34 and Oil red O staining experiment showed that the growth of the assembly of cells is good within the structures, cellular localization accurate and cell trait keep good. This system is simple, flexible, reliable, easy to realize and convenient for multi-cell assembly, which can be used in fabricating complex tissue and organs.