Photopolymerization in Microfluidic Gradient Generators: Microscale Control of Substrate Compliance to Manipulate Cell Response

Abstract

Integration of a microfluidic gradient generator and photopolymerization to fabricate novel hydrogels with tunable mechanical properties on the microscale (see Figure) is reported. This concept introduces a new class of materials that can be used to investigate the role of substrate elastic moduli in controlling cell morphology and cytoskeletal organization, and more generally, cell behavior.