Advancements in cell assembly for tissue reconstruction and the impacts of vitro tumor models

Engineering and modeling in-vitro 3D tissues have attracted attention for potentially providing a method for recreating and testing the tumors of specific patients.

Magnetophoresis, the manipulation of cells under a magnetic field, is advancing rapidly as a promising method for cell assembly. Fong et al. provided an overview of the growing field of magnetophoresis. They discuss manipulation techniques, from positive and negative control over cells, and detail guidance for researchers to select and apply magnetic manipulation methods that best suit their work.

“There are few comprehensive review papers which cover and compare positive to negative magnetophoresis and talk about the potential combination of two,” said author Eliza Fong. “Our lab focuses on reconstructing in vitro tumor models for personalized medicine.”

During positive magnetophoresis, magnetic beads couple with cells in a diamagnetic medium. In negative magnetophoresis, magnetic beads are not required and cells stay in a paramagnetic medium, moving in the opposite direction.

“The use of negative magnetophoresis to guide cell assembly for tissue reconstruction is very exciting,” Fong said. “The negative magnetophoresis method can help us reconstruct complex in vitro tumor models that may be challenging to recapitulate with other non-magnetic methods.”

The study suggests magnetophoresis is a promising technique for mixing magnetic bead-labeled cells with non-labeled cells in a paramagnetic solution. NanoShuttle-PL, which exhibits high biocompatibility with low cytotoxicity, is among the developments that use negative magnetophoresis for layer-by-layer cell assembly.

Challenges include maintaining cell viability and optimizing the concentration of paramagnetic agents in a solution.

The authors hope the review stokes further interest in tissue engineering, especially in the personalized treatment of tumors.

Source: “Magnetic force-based cell manipulation for in vitro tissue engineering,” by Huiqian Hu, L Krishaa, and Eliza Fong, APL Bioengineering (2023). The article can be accessed at https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0138732 .