Microphysiological systems, development, disease
To direct the growth of cellular systems, hydrogels can be directly patterned or integrated into a pre-defined microfabricated elastomeric guiding structure. A ‘maze’ for the cellular growth can be implemented, and the guiding structure can be placed on top of a glass substrate or multielectrode array (MEA) to enable simultaneous live-imaging or monitoring of electrical activity, respectively. We use these systems to create myelinated nerve-on-chip models and to better understand mechanisms of cancer neuroscience.