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Merck

A tissue-like printed material.

Science (New York, N.Y.) (2013-04-06)
Gabriel Villar, Alexander D Graham, Hagan Bayley
ABSTRACT

Living cells communicate and cooperate to produce the emergent properties of tissues. Synthetic mimics of cells, such as liposomes, are typically incapable of cooperation and therefore cannot readily display sophisticated collective behavior. We printed tens of thousands of picoliter aqueous droplets that become joined by single lipid bilayers to form a cohesive material with cooperating compartments. Three-dimensional structures can be built with heterologous droplets in software-defined arrangements. The droplet networks can be functionalized with membrane proteins; for example, to allow rapid electrical communication along a specific path. The networks can also be programmed by osmolarity gradients to fold into otherwise unattainable designed structures. Printed droplet networks might be interfaced with tissues, used as tissue engineering substrates, or developed as mimics of living tissue.

MATERIALS
Product Number
Brand
Product Description

Avanti
4ME 16:0 PC, Avanti Research - A Croda Brand
Avanti
4ME 16:0 PC, Avanti Research - A Croda Brand
Sigma-Aldrich
Silver chloride, AnhydroBeads, −10 mesh, 99.998% trace metals basis
Sigma-Aldrich
Silver chloride, ReagentPlus®, 99%
Sigma-Aldrich
Silver chloride, 99.999% trace metals basis