Controlling alginate gel formation by diffusion of Ca2+ ions through a filter barrier, a layer-by-layer deposition technique with resolution on the size scale of a single cell is presented. It offers the possibility of exposing cells under biocompatible conditions to microheterogeneous three-dimensional environments, mimicking the layered structure of extracellular matrix in tissues.
Stéphanie Lacour, Outman Akouissi, Emilio Fernández Lavado, Massimo Mariello, Kutay Sagdic
Cathrin Brisken, Giovanna Ambrosini, Marian Caikovski, Philipp Bucher, Renuga Devi Rajaram, Patrik Aouad, Dalya Ataca, Marie Shamseddin, Céline Berthe Constantin, Csaba Ferenc László