A Design Method for Cell Alignment Using Complex Function Theory

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K22387
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0301:Mechanics of materials, production engineering, design engineering, fluid engineering, thermal engineering, mechanical dynamics, robotics, aerospace engineering, marine and maritime engineering, and related fields
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Miyazako Hiroki 東京大学, 大学院情報理工学系研究科, 助教 (40881206)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-09-11 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 細胞集団 / 位相欠陥 / ソフトマター / 組織工学 / 関数論 / 逆問題

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study proposed a design method for cell patterns to achieve reproducible fabrication of cell alignment. To this end, we introduced a complex potential to describe the cell alignment. Then, we derived a formula for cell alignment considering topological defects, at which the alignment angle cannot be defined. In addition, we proposed a design method for geometries of cell culture substrates to suppress stochastic fluctuations of defects. The validity of the proposed methods was confirmed by numerical and cell culture experiments.

Free Research Field

設計工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

細胞シートなどの細胞から生体組織を再構成する組織工学の技術が広く応用されるには，作成された細胞組織の構造の再現性を担保する必要がある．しかしながら，これまでの研究は実験者の試行錯誤による構造設計が主なアプローチであった．本研究で得られた細胞の配向構造の計算法や培養領域の設計法は，細胞の培養基板の形状の最適設計などのような実験者の試行錯誤に頼らない理論保証された細胞組織の設計につながると考えられる．