“Directed assembly and development of engineered tissues using microwell screening platforms”

Keywords: tissue regeneration, ossicle, stem cells

The area of research of tissue regeneration usually works with holder materials or scaffolds offering structural support to cells that have been seeded and shaping the subsequent piece of tissue. However, these materials often hinder development of tissue. This dissertation describes a scaffold-free method in which thousands of clumps of (stem) cells are cultured in microboxes in a controlled manner. Simultaneously, many combinations of chemical substances are tested in order to direct their development. These clumps of cells can then form a defined piece of tissue by serving as building blocks. This technique can be widely implemented, which is demonstrated by culturing an artificial human ossicle and imitating mouse embryos.