Sensing Another Dimension

Much as construction plans might evolve from 2D sketch to 3D model to finished building, biological investigations can move from examinations of cells in a dish, to a 3D cellular model, before findings are applied in patients. Capitalising on these 3D trial environments requires efficient monitoring of the activities within, to see what effect your inputs are having, but conventional monitoring technology isn’t well suited to the 3D world. A new electroactive structure allows dynamic monitoring of electrical activity as the samples grow. The tubular scaffold (video, 0–10s) allows intestine cells to grow in controlled conditions while measuring activity. In tests, the body tissue grew well (11–17s), with key structures such as junctions between cells (green) forming and behaviour such as mucus secretion (red) clearly visible. This approach to tissue growth could add a new dynamic dimension to investigations, helping accelerate the transition from scientific theories to life-saving treatments.

Written by Anthony Lewis

Anthony Lewis

Writer

Ant was the web editor in the early days of BPoD, and has since worked with the UK’s top science organisations as a writer and multimedia producer. He now splits his time between freelance work and managing multimedia at The Lancet.

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• Videos from work by Chrysanthi‐Maria Moysidou and colleagues
• Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
• Videos originally published with a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
• Published in Advanced Biology, January 2021