@article {216871,
	title = {Patterning alginate hydrogels using light-directed release of caged calcium in a microfluidic device},
	journal = {Biomed Microdevices},
	volume = {12},
	number = {1},
	year = {2010},
	month = {2010 Feb},
	pages = {145-51},
	abstract = {This paper describes a simple reversible hydrogel patterning method for 3D cell culture. Alginate gel is formed in select regions of a microfluidic device through light-triggered release of caged calcium. In the pre-gelled alginate solution, calcium is chelated by DM-nitrophen (DM-n) to prevent cross-linking of alginate. After sufficient UV exposure the caged calcium is released from DM-n causing alginate to cross-link. The effect of using different concentrations of calcium and chelating agents as well as the duration of UV exposure is described. Since the cross-linking is based on calcium concentration, the cross-linked alginate can easily be dissolved by EDTA. We also demonstrate application of this capability to patterned microscale 3D co-culture using endothelial cells and osteoblastic cells in a microchannel.},
	keywords = {Alginates, Animals, Calcium, Cell Culture Techniques, Cell Proliferation, Cells, Cultured, Endothelial Cells, Equipment Design, Equipment Failure Analysis, Flow Injection Analysis, Glucuronic Acid, Hexuronic Acids, Humans, Hydrogels, Light, Mice, Microfluidic Analytical Techniques},
	issn = {1572-8781},
	doi = {10.1007/s10544-009-9369-6},
	author = {Chueh, Bor-han and Zheng, Ying and Torisawa, Yu-suke and Hsiao, Amy Y and Ge, Chunxi and Hsiong, Susan and Huebsch, Nathaniel and Franceschi, Renny and Mooney, David J and Takayama, Shuichi}
}
