Preparation of a visible light-responsive gold nanoparticle-containing collagen gel microarray for in situ cell separation

Abstract

Gold nanoparticle (AuNP)-embedded collagen gels have been prepared as a visible light-responsive cell scaffold that is applied to a visible light-induced in situ single cell detachment system. In this study, the visible light-responsive cell scaffold is combined with microarray technology for high-throughput cell separation. The AuNP-embedded collagen gel microarrays were prepared by pressing microarrays with 200 μm pores into the AuNP-embedded collagen gel. The microsized AuNP-embedded collagen gel was downsized to one thousandth of the conventional gel produced in a 96-well plate. Efficient thermal deformation of the microsized collagen gel was exhibited after laser irradiation for several seconds, which suggested that the microsized collagen gels had high sensitivity to the photothermogenic property. A collagen gel microarray with an AuNP coating at the bottom was also prepared; this exhibited morphological change after a shorter laser irradiation period than the AuNP-embedded collagen gel microarray. The cells cultured on the AuNP-embedded collagen gels were dead after laser irradiation but still alive on the collagen gel with the AuNP coating at the bottom. Thus, the AuNP-coated collagen gel microarray might work as a cell-friendly visible light-induced in situ single cell detachment system.