Cells respond to their environment
At the core of this approach is the understanding that cells are highly sensitive to their physical surroundings. In particular, the stiffness of the extracellular matrix plays a decisive role in cell behavior, influencing whether cells remain in a dormant state or develop invasive, disease-like growth.
The NanoOne can modulate the properties of a hydrogel at specific spots, even while living cells are present. This can be done in two ways. During printing, the gel´s stiffness can be set by controlling how tightly its molecular network is knitted together.
Later, once cells are growing in it, parts of the gel can be softened or removed to reshape it at any point. This gives full control over the material surrounding the cells throughout the whole experiment. Light also can be used to attach new chemical groups to chosen regions, adding a further way to tailor the hydrogel´s behavior.
Tumor-on-a-chip models
One particularly promising application of 2PP is the development of tumor-on-a-chip models. By printing directly inside microfluidic chips, 2PP is ideally suited to fabricating these sophisticated platforms. A tumor-on-a-chip is a microfluidic device that recreates the key features of a tumor and its surrounding microenvironment in a small, controllable in vitro platform. By more closely replicating the human tumor environment, these models can improve the predictive value of preclinical drug testing.
Microfluidic channels can be created at sizes comparable to capillaries. They enable the delivery of media, nutrients, oxygen, and drugs through the system under controlled flow, closely mimicking the continuous transport found in the human body rather than the static conditions of a conventional culture dish.
From 3D cell models to therapy development
In screening experiments, healthy and disease-like environments can be studied side-by-side. After adding candidate drugs, researchers can observe whether cells remain stable despite adverse mechanical conditions or begin to change their behavior. This allows researchers to identify promising drug candidates earlier and under conditions that more closely resemble the human body.
Better laboratory models lead to more reliable research, helping scientists identify promising therapies with greater confidence. By enabling more realistic cancer models, UpNano contributes to research that has the potential to accelerate the development of new treatments and improve outcomes for patients worldwide.
