Development of Assay Systems for Cancer Cell Invasion Using Microfabricated Hierarchical Hydrogels

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K14485
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Biofunction/Bioprocess
• Research Institution: Chiba University
• Principal Investigator: Seki Minoru 千葉大学, 大学院工学研究院, 教授 (80206622)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 山田 真澄 千葉大学, 大学院工学研究院, 准教授 (30546784)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 細胞培養 / マイクロ流路 / ハイドロゲル / 癌細胞 / 抗ガン剤 / 癌浸潤 / スクリーニング

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We have developed new 3D culture platforms for cancer cells, which are capable of reproducing the in vivo cancer cell environments and evaluating the cancer cell invasion and anticancer drug efficacy. Microfluidic technologies have been utilized to produce hierarchically patterned hydrogels (fibers and sheets), in which cancer cells and normal cells were precisely organized. Guidance of invasion direction and its quantitative evaluation were possible, by tuning the hydrogel stiffness and controlling the direction of nutrition supply. The presented systems would be useful as new tools for cancer cell diagnosis and development of new anticancer drugs.

Free Research Field

生物化学工学