Controllable cancer cell growth using UV patterned hydrogels via DMD-based modulating projection printing

Fabrication of cell growth environment in vitro to control the cell spatial arrangement and proliferation is an indispensable technique for cell-based technologies. Previously several developed micropatterning methods such as soft lithography required relatively complicated operations, which leads to difficulties in the following research to investigate the effects of different cell growth patterns. This manuscript introduces a DMD-based projection technique to quickly pattern a poly(ethylene) glycol diacrylate (PEGDA)-based hydrogel on common glass substrates, which were used to control the growth patterns of cells. Compared with other methods, employed with digital dynamic mask, polymerisation of PEGDA solution can be induced to create arbitrary shape microstructures with high efficiency, flexibility and repeatability. The time duration of UV exposure is less than 10 s by controlling the projected illumination pattern. The resistance to cell attachment enables patterned PEGDA-coated film to be employed to hinder cell adhesion while the blank area allowing cells to grow in various patterns and sizes.