Automated Embryo Manipulation and Rotation via Robotic nDEP-Tweezers.

Unlabelled: Embryo manipulation is a fundamental task in assisted reproductive technology (ART). Nevertheless, conventional pick-place techniques often require proper alignment to avoid causing damage to the embryo and further, the tools have limited capability to orient the embryo being handled.

Objective: This paper presents a novel and non-invasive technique that can easily manipulate mouse embryos on a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) Petri dish.

Engineered bone scaffolds with Dielectrophoresis-based patterning using 3D printing.

Patterning of cells into a specific pattern is an important procedure in tissue engineering to facilitate tissue culture and ingrowth. In this paper, a new type of 3D-printed scaffold utilizing dielectrophoresis (DEP) for active cell seeding and patterning was proposed. This scaffold adopted a concentric-ring design that is similar to native bone tissues.

Characterization of biomechanical properties of cells through dielectrophoresis-based cell stretching and actin cytoskeleton modeling.

Background: Cytoskeleton is a highly dynamic network that helps to maintain the rigidity of a cell, and the mechanical properties of a cell are closely related to many cellular functions. This paper presents a new method to probe and characterize cell mechanical properties through dielectrophoresis (DEP)-based cell stretching manipulation and actin cytoskeleton modeling.

Methods: Leukemia NB4 cells were used as cell line, and changes in their biological properties were examined after chemotherapy treatment with doxorubicin (DOX).

Characterization of a Honeycomb-Like Scaffold With Dielectrophoresis-Based Patterning for Tissue Engineering.

Objective: Seeding and patterning of cells with an engineered scaffold is a critical process in artificial tissue construction and regeneration. To date, many engineered scaffolds exhibit simple intrinsic designs, which fail to mimic the geometrical complexity of native tissues. In this study, a novel scaffold that can automatically seed cells into multilayer honeycomb patterns for bone tissue engineering application was designed and examined.

Design and characterization of a conductive nanostructured polypyrrole-polycaprolactone coated magnesium/PLGA composite for tissue engineering scaffolds.

A novel biodegradable and conductive composite consisting of magnesium (Mg), polypyrrole-block-ploycaprolactone (PPy-PCL), and poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) is synthesized in a core-shell-skeleton manner for tissue engineering applications. Mg particles in the composite are first coated with a conductive nanostructured PPy-PCL layer for corrosion resistance via the UV-induced photopolymerization method. PLGA matrix is then added to tailor the biodegradability of the resultant composite.