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Controlled Cell Adhesion With ibidi Micropatterning

The ibidi µ-Patterning technology enables spatially defined cell adhesion for various 2D and 3D cell culture applications.

Miniaturized adhesive patterns (e.g., lines, squares, or dots) are irreversibly printed on the non-adhesive Bioinert surface of the ibidi Polymer Coverslip, allowing for precisely controlled cell adhesion. The µ-Patterns are dry-stable, sterile, and ready to use.

The µ-Pattern, the Bioinert surface, and the ibidi Polymer Coverslip are all optimized for high resolution imaging and microscopy.

The Bioinert Surface

• Long-term stable, and biologically inert surface
• Superior to the standard ultra-low attachment (ULA) surfaces: no cell or protein adhesion (full passivation)
• Layered onto the ibidi Polymer Coverslip—the highest optical quality for imaging

Learn more here.

Specifications of µ-Patterns

Application Examples

Single-Cell Arrays

The size of the µ-Pattern can be adapted to the morphology of the cell type of interest, so that an array of single cells can be conveniently analyzed using applications such as high-resolution imaging.

Single-cell array with RCC26 tumor cells. µ-Patterning was done with cyclic RGD adhesion spots on the Bioinert surface. Spot size 30 µm x 30 µm. Phase contrast microscopy, 4x objective lens.

Multi-Cell Arrays

By using different geometries and sizes of the µ-Patterning, multi-cell arrays can be performed with defined adhesion for various applications, such as high-resolution imaging.

Multi-cell array with RCC26 tumor cells. µ-Patterning was done with cyclic RGD adhesion spots on the Bioinert surface. Spot size 200 µm x 200 µm. Phase contrast microscopy, 4x objective lens.

Spheroid Generation

Defined adhesion spots, surrounded by Bioinert, are able to catch all adherent single cells from a cell suspension. Bioinert is fully non-cell-attachable. This forces all cells to aggregate to each other at the adhesion spots, thus forming spheroids in a defined and controllable way.

Suspension of NIH-3T3 cell line seeded on 200 µm adhesion spots, 64 hours live cell imaging, phase contrast, 4x objective lens.

Spheroid/Organoid Co-Culture

The size and the cell adhesion properties of the µ-Patterning can be adjusted to hold 3D spheroids and microtissues in position. Using this setup, cells in 3D can be studied during proliferation, differentiation, invasion, and migration.

NIH-3T3 3D spheroids (left) plated on adhesive, Cy3-labeled spots (right) with a 300 µm diameter. 10x objective lens.

Generation of 3D spheroids from HT-1080, MCF-7, and NIH-3T3 cells. The spheroids were generated using the agarose assay, then put on 300 µm adhesive spots for positioning. Phase contrast, 4x objective lens.

Neuronal Cell Applications

µ-Patterning can also be used for neuronal stem cell culture, axonal isolation and outgrowth, and neurite polarization.

µ-Patterns for neuronal cell assays: Cy3-labeled adhesion lines and spots for fluorescence visualization. Line width: 4 µm, spot diameter: 20 µm.

Scientific Posters

Controlled Cell Adhesion With ibidi Micropatterning (PDF)

Presented at the µTAS Conference 2019, Basel, Switzerland.

A Micropatterning-Supported High Throughput CAR-T Cell Potency Assay With Single Cell Resolution (PDF)

Presented at the ASCB|EMBO Meeting 2019, Washington DC, USA.