Overview and technical details of a 3-dimensional bioplotter for production of intestinal crypt organoid models.
At least in this initial iteration, our software takes the form of a desktop application with little need for customization. Connectivity via USB cable or Arduino Bluetooth would be ideal. Crypts are printed in a fairly standard way every time with the cells seeded by the researcher by hand, so little input or portability is necessary. In future designs, increasing the customizability of the produced crypts would be the most logical direction to progress beyond accounting for electrical logic improvements (described on the relevant page). Software improvements fall into two main categories.
As mentioned in the materials overview, the underlying matrix of a crypt can be altered in a pathological state, stiffening in response to illness or becoming more porous. With the addition of a multiple syringe system, chemical crosslinking to alter these characteristics in the produced crypts becomes a possibility. The software application would ideally be altered to allow stiffness and other characteristics to be selected and automatically included in the process of printing the crypt.
Adding a Droplet-on-Demand system would further increase the customizability of printed crypts. Software updates to include DoD capabilities would add the ability to decide on cell type and distribution throughout the crypt, giving precise control over layout and cell type. Combined with the aforementioned customization of crypt characteristics, these two systems could potentially allow for infinite possibilities in terms of crypt type and construction.
In all cases, we would not intend to move off of a desktop application. The intended usage of this device is for lab research in a sterile environment, so portability is not an issue.