FleXert: A Soft, Actuatable Multiwell Plate Insert for Cell Culture under Stretch

Porous multiwell plate inserts are widely used in biomedical research to study transport processes or culture cells/tissues at the air–liquid interface. These made of rigid materials and under static conditions, which unrepresentative biological microenvironments. Here, we present FleXert, a soft, actuatable cell insert that interfaces with six-well plates. It is polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) comprises porous PDMS membrane as cell/tissue support. FleXerts can be pneumatically actuated using standard syringe pump, imparting tensile strains up 30%. A wide range actuation patterns achieved by varying air pressure pumping rate. Facile surface functionalization FleXert’s fibronectin enables adhesion human dermal fibroblasts developing on successfully transduced layer. 3D tissue models, such fibroblast-laden collagen gels, also anchored following polydopamine coating. Furthermore, collagen-coated FleXert membranes support establishment skin model, demonstrating material’s excellent biocompatibility required for engineering. In contrast existing technologies, do not require costly fabrication equipment custom-built chambers, making them versatile low-cost solution engineering barrier penetration studies physiological strain. This paper an extensive toolkit multidisciplinary mechanobiology studies, including detailed instructions variety methods device fabrication, theoretical modeling, culture, image analysis techniques.