Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) for Cellular
and Tissue Engineering
Yi Zhao, Department of Biomedical Engineering
Rapid development of micro/nanofabrication technologies has enabled construction of engineering tools with the sizes comparable to living cells. Thanks to the small sizes and their superior electrical and mechanical sensitivities, these micro/nanodevices have shown their use in efficient regulation of physiological conditions of the cellular objects and attracted extensive attentions for tissue repair and regeneration. In this presentation, I will discuss some of our ongoing activities for assembling, stimulating, and evaluating engineering tissues by living cells using the microfabricated systems. The microstructures providing topographic, mechanical and electrical guidance to direct the cell growth, proliferation, and differentiation will be presented. Through these investigations, we hope to facilitate the development of functional engineering tissues for rapid tissue transplantation, and also to provide a tool for fundamental study of complicated intercellular and intracellular events.