Paper-Supported High-Throughput 3D Culturing, Trapping, and Monitoring of Caenorhabditis Elegans
We developed an innovative paper-based platform for high-throughput culturing, trapping, and monitoring of <i>C. elegans</i>. A 96-well array was readily fabricated by placing a nutrient-replenished paper substrate on a micromachined 96-well plastic frame, providing high-throughput 3D cu...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-01-01
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| Series: | Micromachines |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/11/1/99 |
| _version_ | 1818990445563215872 |
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| author | Mehdi Tahernia Maedeh Mohammadifar Seokheun Choi |
| author_facet | Mehdi Tahernia Maedeh Mohammadifar Seokheun Choi |
| author_sort | Mehdi Tahernia |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We developed an innovative paper-based platform for high-throughput culturing, trapping, and monitoring of <i>C. elegans</i>. A 96-well array was readily fabricated by placing a nutrient-replenished paper substrate on a micromachined 96-well plastic frame, providing high-throughput 3D culturing environments and in situ analysis of the worms. The paper allows <i>C. elegans</i> to pass through the porous and aquatic paper matrix until the worms grow and reach the next developmental stages with the increased body size comparable to the paper pores. When the diameter of <i>C. elegans</i> becomes larger than the pore size of the paper substrate, the worms are trapped and immobilized for further high-throughput imaging and analysis. This work will offer a simple yet powerful technique for high-throughput sorting and monitoring of <i>C. elegans</i> at a different larval stage by controlling and choosing different pore sizes of paper. Furthermore, we developed another type of 3D culturing system by using paper-like transparent polycarbonate substrates for higher resolution imaging. The device used the multi-laminate structure of the polycarbonate layers as a scaffold to mimic the worm’s 3D natural habitats. Since the substrate is thin, mechanically strong, and largely porous, the layered structure allowed <i>C. elegans</i> to move and behave freely in 3D and promoted the efficient growth of both <i>C. elegans</i> and their primary food, <i>E. coli</i>. The transparency of the structure facilitated visualization of the worms under a microscope. Development, fertility, and dynamic behavior of <i>C. elegans</i> in the 3D culture platform outperformed those of the standard 2D cultivation technique. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T19:54:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-00c9d393b57942f0b0c14acfb5a5e967 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-666X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T19:54:29Z |
| publishDate | 2020-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Micromachines |
| spelling | doaj.art-00c9d393b57942f0b0c14acfb5a5e9672022-12-21T19:28:11ZengMDPI AGMicromachines2072-666X2020-01-011119910.3390/mi11010099mi11010099Paper-Supported High-Throughput 3D Culturing, Trapping, and Monitoring of Caenorhabditis ElegansMehdi Tahernia0Maedeh Mohammadifar1Seokheun Choi2Bioelectronics & Microsystems Laboratory, Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, State University of New York-Binghamton, Binghamton, NY 13902, USABioelectronics & Microsystems Laboratory, Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, State University of New York-Binghamton, Binghamton, NY 13902, USABioelectronics & Microsystems Laboratory, Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, State University of New York-Binghamton, Binghamton, NY 13902, USAWe developed an innovative paper-based platform for high-throughput culturing, trapping, and monitoring of <i>C. elegans</i>. A 96-well array was readily fabricated by placing a nutrient-replenished paper substrate on a micromachined 96-well plastic frame, providing high-throughput 3D culturing environments and in situ analysis of the worms. The paper allows <i>C. elegans</i> to pass through the porous and aquatic paper matrix until the worms grow and reach the next developmental stages with the increased body size comparable to the paper pores. When the diameter of <i>C. elegans</i> becomes larger than the pore size of the paper substrate, the worms are trapped and immobilized for further high-throughput imaging and analysis. This work will offer a simple yet powerful technique for high-throughput sorting and monitoring of <i>C. elegans</i> at a different larval stage by controlling and choosing different pore sizes of paper. Furthermore, we developed another type of 3D culturing system by using paper-like transparent polycarbonate substrates for higher resolution imaging. The device used the multi-laminate structure of the polycarbonate layers as a scaffold to mimic the worm’s 3D natural habitats. Since the substrate is thin, mechanically strong, and largely porous, the layered structure allowed <i>C. elegans</i> to move and behave freely in 3D and promoted the efficient growth of both <i>C. elegans</i> and their primary food, <i>E. coli</i>. The transparency of the structure facilitated visualization of the worms under a microscope. Development, fertility, and dynamic behavior of <i>C. elegans</i> in the 3D culture platform outperformed those of the standard 2D cultivation technique.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/11/1/99<i>c. elegans</i>paper-based platformstransparent polycarbonate substrate3d culturing environmentshigh-throughput |
| spellingShingle | Mehdi Tahernia Maedeh Mohammadifar Seokheun Choi Paper-Supported High-Throughput 3D Culturing, Trapping, and Monitoring of Caenorhabditis Elegans Micromachines <i>c. elegans</i> paper-based platforms transparent polycarbonate substrate 3d culturing environments high-throughput |
| title | Paper-Supported High-Throughput 3D Culturing, Trapping, and Monitoring of Caenorhabditis Elegans |
| title_full | Paper-Supported High-Throughput 3D Culturing, Trapping, and Monitoring of Caenorhabditis Elegans |
| title_fullStr | Paper-Supported High-Throughput 3D Culturing, Trapping, and Monitoring of Caenorhabditis Elegans |
| title_full_unstemmed | Paper-Supported High-Throughput 3D Culturing, Trapping, and Monitoring of Caenorhabditis Elegans |
| title_short | Paper-Supported High-Throughput 3D Culturing, Trapping, and Monitoring of Caenorhabditis Elegans |
| title_sort | paper supported high throughput 3d culturing trapping and monitoring of caenorhabditis elegans |
| topic | <i>c. elegans</i> paper-based platforms transparent polycarbonate substrate 3d culturing environments high-throughput |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/11/1/99 |
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