Other

Harvard College

Ravi Kane

George M Whitesides

Donald Elliot Ingber

Daniel T Chiu

David C Duffy

Emanuele Ostuni

Rebecca Jane Jackman

Janelle R Anderson

Sui Huang

Insung S Choi

Noo-Li Jeon

The present invention provides a masking system for selectively applying cells to predetermined regions of a surface. A mask is positioned adjacent to a surface to cover some portions of the surface while allowing other portions of the surface to remain uncovered. Cells then are applied to uncovered portions of the surface and the mask removed. Alternatively, a cell-adhesion promoter is applied to uncovered portions of the surface, and then cells are applied to the surface before or after removal of the mask from the surface. The masking system can be pre-coated, at least on those surfaces which will come into contact with cells, with a cell-adhesion inhibitor to resist absorption of cells and thereby avoid cell damage when the mask is removed (if cells are deposited prior to removal of the mask). A polymeric elastomeric mask that comes into cohesive-conformal contact with a surface to be patterned can be used.

Method for cell patterning

Microfluidic systems and methods are provided for fabricating complex patterns of materials, such as proteins, inorganic materials or cells, on surfaces. Complex, discontinuous patterns on surfaces can be formed incorporating or depositing multiple materials. A stamp structure has a flow path containing a series of interconnected channels. The channels include a first channel within an interior of the stamp structure, a second channel within a stamping surface of the structure defining a pattern, and a channel fluidically interconnecting the first and second channels. After contacting the stamp with a surface, a fluid is introduced into the flow path so that the fluid contacts the surface to form a pattern. In another embodiment, the stamp structure has two non-fluidically interconnected first and second flow paths defining first and second patterns of channels to produce non-continuous first and second patterns on a surface.

Patterning of surfaces utilizing microfluidic stamps including three-dimensionally arrayed channel networks

Growing community of inventors

Troy, NY, United States of America

Ravi Kane