Floating-flower inspired cell culture platform for simplifying medium exchange based on elasto-capillarity

In this study, Flower-Shaped Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) Substrate (FSPS) motivated from a floating flower was proposed to simplify a cell culture experiment for studying an effect of cell microenvironments. The FSPS can capture and dispense a cell culture medium, forming a pocket by physical interaction between an elastic substrate and the medium. Thus, we can exchange the medium with simple lifting up and pushing down actions without repetitive pipetting. The developed platform was verified to substitute a conventional PDMS substrate utilized in the studies, through stability and sustainability of the medium pocket, and NIH3T3 cell proliferation experiments.