Rapid Prototyping of Thermoplastic Microfluidic 3D Cell Culture Devices by Creating Regional Hydrophilicity Discrepancy

Microfluidic 3D cell culture devices that enable the recapitulation of key aspects of organ structures and functions in vivo represent a promising preclinical platform to improve translational success during drug discovery. Essential to these engineered devices is the spatial patterning of cells from different tissue types within a confined microenvironment. Traditional fabrication strategies lack the scalability, cost-effectiveness, and rapid prototyping capabilities required for industrial applications, especially for processes involving thermoplastic materials. Here, an approach to pattern fluid guides inside microchannels is introduced by establishing differential hydrophilicity using pressure-sensitive adhesives as masks and a subsequent selective coating with a biocompatible polymer. Optimal coating conditions are identified using polyvinylpyrrolidone, which resulted in rapid and consistent hydrogel flow in both the open-chip prototype and the fully bonded device containing additional features for medium perfusion. The suitability of the device for dynamic 3D cell culture is tested by growing human hepatocytes in the device under controlled fluid flow for a 14-day period. Additionally, the study demonstrated the potential of using the device for pharmaceutical high-throughput screening applications, such as predicting drug-induced liver injury. The approach offers a facile strategy of rapid prototyping thermoplastic microfluidic organ chips with varying geometries, microstructures, and substrate materials.