Traditional methods to study cell-cell adhesion have been limited by their inability to manipulate cell-cell interactions without simultaneously affecting other microenvironmental factors. Here we describe a novel method that enables the culture of cells with precise simultaneous control of both cell-cell and cell-substratum adhesion. Using microfabricated stamps of poly(dimethylsiloxane), we construct bowtie-shaped agarose microwells into which cells can be cultured. The degree to which cells spread is controlled by the size of the microwell; cell-cell contacts form between neighboring cells within the microwell. This chapter describes the details of stamp fabrication, agarose microwell construction, and cell culture in micropatterned substrata.
CITATION STYLE
Nelson, C. M., Liu, W. F., & Chen, C. S. (2007). Manipulation of Cell-Cell Adhesion Using Bowtie-Shaped Microwells (pp. 1–9). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59745-353-0_1
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