Fluidic patterning of hydrogel partitions
The present technology provides spontaneous capillary flow devices for patterning walls on a hydrophilic substrate. In some embodiments, the devices include rails having a first end portion for receiving a flowable material, a second end portion opposite the first end portion, and a base portion having a flow surface extending between the first end portion and the second end portion. The flow surface can face the hydrophilic substrate and define a flow path. When the flowable material is released into the first end portion, the flowable material flows via spontaneous capillary flow from the first end portion to the second end portion along the flow path to create a partition on the hydrophilic substrate.
1. A spontaneous capillary flow device for patterning walls on a hydrophilic substrate, the device comprising:
a rail, wherein the rail includes
a first end portion including an inlet configured to receive a flowable material,
a second end portion opposite the first end portion, and
a base portion having a flow surface extending between the first end portion and the second end portion, wherein the flow surface is configured to define a flow path thereon; and
one or more supports configured to space apart the flow surface and the hydrophilic substrate by a first distance such that the flow surface faces the hydrophilic substrate when spaced apart by the first distance;
wherein, when the device is spaced apart from the hydrophilic substrate by the first distance and the flowable material is released into the inlet, the flowable material is configured to flow via spontaneous capillary flow from the first end portion to the second end portion along the flow path, and is configured to create a wall on the hydrophilic substrate, wherein the wall includes polymerized flowable material.
2. The device of claim 1 wherein the hydrophilic substrate is a bottom flow surface and the flow surface is a top flow surface, and wherein the device is configured to enable spontaneous capillary flow without additional flow surfaces.
3. The device of claim 1 wherein the device is configured to divide the hydrophilic substrate into two or more segregated zones separated by one or more walls.
4. The device of claim 1 wherein the inlet is a controlled inlet configured to direct the flowable material to a portion of the inlet adjacent to the flow surface.
5. The device of claim 1 wherein the second end portion includes a region having higher capillary favorability than the first end portion and the flow surface.
6. The device of claim 1 wherein the base portion of the rail has a first side and a second side, the first side and the second side extending from the flow surface, and wherein the base portion is configured to prevent capillary rise up the first side or the second side.
7. The device of claim 6 wherein the base portion has a substantially trapezoidal cross-section along a longitudinal length.
8. The device of claim 1 wherein the hydrophilic substrate is a base surface of a well, and wherein the device is positionable within the well.
9. The device of claim 8 wherein the one or more supports are pressure struts, and wherein the one or more pressure struts are configured to engage one or more side surfaces of the well to stabilize the device within the well.
10. The device of claim 1 wherein the one or more supports are feet, and wherein the individual feet are configured to contact the hydrophilic substrate at one or more positions outside of the flow path.
11. The device of claim 1 wherein the device is configured to create two or more segregated cell culture zones separated by one or more walls, and wherein the device further comprises a reservoir for retaining media and configured to mitigate the effects of evaporation from the two or more segregated cell culture zones.
12. The device of claim 11 wherein the reservoir extends at least partially around a periphery of the rail, and wherein the reservoir includes a pinning ridge dividing the reservoir from the rail.
13. The device of claim 1 wherein the hydrophilic substrate is a plastic or glass surface of a well plate, petri dish, glass slide, chemically modified well plate, chemically modified petri dish, or chemically modified glass slide.
14. The device of claim 1 wherein the hydrophilic substrate is a hydrogel layer.
15. The device of claim 14 wherein the hydrogel layer comprises cells.
16. The device of claim 1 wherein the flowable material includes cells.
17. The device of claim 1 wherein, after the wall is patterned on the hydrophilic substrate, the device can be removed from the wall such that the wall remains intact on the hydrophilic substrate.
18. The device of claim 1 wherein the device is manufactured via injection molding.
19. The device of claim 1 wherein the first distance is a height, and wherein the flow surface further comprises a width, and wherein the relationship between the height and the width are determinable based on:
h
w
<
cos
θ
1
+
cos
θ
2
2
wherein h is the height, w is the width, θ 1 is a contact angle of the device, and θ 2 is a contact angle of the substrate.