Transparent Electromechanical Stimulation System for Stem Cell Applications
Viehrig, Marlitt (2016)
Viehrig, Marlitt
2016
Master's Degree Programme in Science and Bioengineering
Luonnontieteiden tiedekunta - Faculty of Natural Sciences
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Hyväksymispäivämäärä
2016-06-08
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tty-201605274190
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tty-201605274190
Tiivistelmä
Functionalities of cells and tissues in the human body depend greatly on their specific microenvironment created by a variety of biochemical, electrical and mechanical cues. Current standard in vitro cell cultivation technologies fail to mimic the cellular microenvironment in its full complexity, which makes them unsuitable as physiological models for example in drug development. Therefore, the development of a controlled, biomimetic cell cultivation technology that combines and recreates all features of the cellular microenvironment is of high importance especially in stem cell research.
This study introduces two optional system design approaches for a transparent electromechanical cell stimulation device usable for in vitro cell stimulation. The device is aimed as a modular expansion of an earlier introduced mechanical cell stimulation platform. Hereby, it is of high importance that the new electrical-stimulative module expands the functionalities of the existing device, without affecting its original capabilities and benefits. This is realized through incorporation of a stretchable, transparent, electrical-stimulative component in the existing system. The first approach focuses on direct electrical stimulation of cells through transparent conductive polymers, which allows flexible electrical stimulation independent from mechanical stimulation. In the second approach, a system design that utilizes indirect electrical stimulation coupled to the mechanical stimulus created by an embedded piezoelectric layer of cellulose nanocrystals is studied.
Various structural integration strategies for the fabrication of stretchable conductive electrodes and nanocomposites containing cellulose nanocrystals thin-films are presented. Their success is evaluated in regards to their structural properties, mechanical durability, electro-stimulative functionality as well as biocompatibility.
Stretchable conductive electrodes could only be introduced to the mechanical stimulation system in the form of channel casted electrodes, with limited equiaxial stretchability. However, the fabricated structures were highly transparent and expressed beneficial biological properties. The experimental work also resulted in a new technical approach to create thin, transparent nanocellulose composite, based on surface integration technologies. The achieved structure is easily integrable in the existing mechanical stimulation device, without limiting its transparency, stretchability or biocompatibility.
This study introduces two optional system design approaches for a transparent electromechanical cell stimulation device usable for in vitro cell stimulation. The device is aimed as a modular expansion of an earlier introduced mechanical cell stimulation platform. Hereby, it is of high importance that the new electrical-stimulative module expands the functionalities of the existing device, without affecting its original capabilities and benefits. This is realized through incorporation of a stretchable, transparent, electrical-stimulative component in the existing system. The first approach focuses on direct electrical stimulation of cells through transparent conductive polymers, which allows flexible electrical stimulation independent from mechanical stimulation. In the second approach, a system design that utilizes indirect electrical stimulation coupled to the mechanical stimulus created by an embedded piezoelectric layer of cellulose nanocrystals is studied.
Various structural integration strategies for the fabrication of stretchable conductive electrodes and nanocomposites containing cellulose nanocrystals thin-films are presented. Their success is evaluated in regards to their structural properties, mechanical durability, electro-stimulative functionality as well as biocompatibility.
Stretchable conductive electrodes could only be introduced to the mechanical stimulation system in the form of channel casted electrodes, with limited equiaxial stretchability. However, the fabricated structures were highly transparent and expressed beneficial biological properties. The experimental work also resulted in a new technical approach to create thin, transparent nanocellulose composite, based on surface integration technologies. The achieved structure is easily integrable in the existing mechanical stimulation device, without limiting its transparency, stretchability or biocompatibility.