Background

Up to now in cell biology nanostructured substrates are modelled before the cell culture is applied and without any possibility of further modification or variation of this structure in vitro.

Invention

Scientists of Saarland University have developed a setup, which allows a controlled manipulation of cells via cell-surface-interaction. Therefore biocompatible magnetite nanoparticles are functionalized with biomolecules, which in turn are able to bind specific cell types. These particles are immobilized on a magnetic substrate as well and the complex can be placed in any kind of cell culture vessel. Influenced by external magnetic fields, domain structures are formed by the complex. These domains can be changed at any time during cell cultivation through external fields as the immobilized particles follow those changes due to their magnetic interaction. The setup is computer-controlled and allows to observe the cell behaviour over several days. Moreover a direct reaction to this is possible by manipulating the domain structure via external magnetic fields.

Applications

• Controlled differentiation of cells, e.g. stem cells by immobilizing growth factors to the magnetite nanoparticles and the substrate;
• Tissue engineering/Regenerative medicine, co-culture of different cell types;
• High-throughput cell differentiation.

Advantages

• Stable immobilization of the biomolecules to the substrate surface
• Improved cell adhesion
• Flexible design of the domain structure according to cell behaviour and time