SOLID: Soft-lithography on SLA 3D printed moulds for fast, versatile, and accessible high-resolution fabrication of customised multiscale cell culture devices with complex designs

Abstract

AbstractCell culture devices, such as microwells and microfluidic chips, are designed to increase the complexity of cell-based models whilst retaining control over culture conditions and have become indispensable platforms for biological systems modelling. From microtopography, microwells, plating devices and microfluidic systems to larger constructs for specific applications like live imaging chamber slides, a wide variety of culture devices with different geometries have become indispensable in biology labs. However, due to the techniques used for their manufacture, such as photolithography, the fabrication of such devices is costly and requires specialised experience, facilities, and time. Whilst commercially available systems are available, these are also costly, and lack the potential for customisation. This renders customised cell culture devices out of reach for most wet labs.Taking advantage of low-cost, high-resolution desktop resin 3D printers combined with PDMS soft lithography we have developed an optimised microfabrication pipeline capable of generating a wide variety of customisable devices for cell culture and tissue engineering in an easy, fast reproducible way for a fraction of the cost of conventional microfabrication or commercial alternatives. This technique enables the manufacture of complex devices across scales bridging the gap between microfabrication and 3D printing. We provide a ready-to-go pipeline for the efficient treatment of resin-based 3D printed constructs for PDMS curing, using a combination of curing steps, washes and surface treatments. Together with the extensive characterisation of the fabrication pipeline, we show the application of this system to a variety of applications ranging from micro topographies for cell alignments to complex multi-part hydrogel culturing systems which are entirely SOLID manufactured.This methodology can be transferred to any laboratory, irrespective of prior expertise or resource availability and will therefore enable the wide adoption of tailored microfabricated devices across many fields of biology.