3D culture platform for organoid morphogenesis with three-dimensional control of cell distribution and large scale imaging using a cube device

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K18061
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 90110:Biomedical engineering-related
• Research Institution: Osaka University (2022); Institute of Physical and Chemical Research (2021)
• Principal Investigator: Takano Atsushi 大阪大学, 大学院工学研究科, 招へい研究員 (30883657)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 培養環境制御 / 3次元培養システム / 3Dバイオプリンティング / キューブ培養器 / 細胞初期配置

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We have developed a 3D culture platform that enables both 3D cell distribution control and 3D imaging of organoids in hydrogel, which is used to create mini-organs (organoids) that mimic cellular tissues or organs in vivo. Three-dimensional control of cell localization in hydrogel filled in a cube device, which has the ability to image cellular tissue with high resolution, improves the accuracy of cellular initial positioning. Using the developed culture system, three-dimensional cellular tissues were cultured from the cells controlled to be placed in the cube device, and three-dimensional imaging of the cellular tissues was also achieved. These results confirm that the developed culture system can contribute to the elucidation of the morphogenesis mechanism of organoids because it can analyze the arrangement conditions of cells and hydrogel as well as cellular behavior.

Free Research Field

バイオエンジニアリング

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究課題では，3Dバイオプリンティング技術とキューブ培養器を使用した計測技術を融合させることで，3次元培養空間に対して設計自由度が高い形状に細胞を配置制御できるだけでなく，培養した細胞組織の計測も実施できる培養系の構築を達成した．これにより，適切な培養系が不足してこれまで着手困難であった，ハイドロゲル中の細胞挙動の計測，解析によるオルガノイド形態形成メカニズムの解明に取り組むことが可能になる．今後，形態形成メカニズムが解明され，細胞とハイドロゲルをどう配置するかのいわばオルガノイドの設計論に応用展開できれば，将来的に本物のようなオルガノイドを人工的に設計して作製する方法の創出が期待できる．