Summary
Published in Technology Platforms for 3D Cell Culture (2017), this peer-reviewed study used 3D Petri Dish® micro-molds to form scaffold-free 3D microtissues. Full citation: Leary, Elizabeth, et al. Micro‐moulded non‐adhesive hydrogels to form multicellular microtissues – the 3D Petri Dish®
Micro‐moulded non‐adhesive hydrogels to form multicellular microtissues – the 3D Petri Dish®
Research Overview
This book chapter is the definitive published description of the 3D Petri Dish® itself — its technology, applications, and protocols for producing multicellular, scaffold-free microtissues.
The system uses precision micro-molds to cast agarose gels containing arrays of small recesses. Cells seeded onto the gel settle into the recesses, aggregate, and self-assemble overnight, producing hundreds of multicellular microtissues in a single gel. Assembled microtissues are easily harvested for histology, immunostaining, Western blots, and RT-PCR. Microtissue size is controlled by the choice of micro-mold and the number of cells seeded, and mixed cell populations can self-sort into layers within a microtissue — replicating the organization seen in native tissue.
Key Discoveries
- Precision micro-molds cast agarose gels whose recess arrays yield hundreds of microtissues per gel
- Microtissue size is set by mold choice and the number of cells seeded
- Mixed cell populations self-sort into layers, and microtissues harvest cleanly for histology, Western blot, and RT-PCR
