Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Abstract: Oxygen (O 2 ) transport is a major limitation in high-density cell culture, particularly as three-dimensional (3D) spheroids are increasingly used to better mimic in vivo tissue environments. Here, we developed a poly(4-methyl-1-pentene) (PMP)-based microwell platform, leveraging its lower molecular absorption and greater mechanical stability than the commonly used O 2 -permeable polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), while retaining high O 2 permeability. We measured O 2 permeability in 50-µm-thick PMP membranes and found approximately 200-fold greater O 2 permeability than the conventional 1-mm polystyrene culture-plate material. PMP membrane-based microwell plates with 350-µm-diameter wells maintained spatial separation of pre-formed hepatocyte spheroids while supplying O 2 from the plate bottom, synergistically enhancing spheroid oxygenation. Compared with non-O 2 -permeable plates, the platform reduced localized hypoxia and hypoxia-associated cell injury while improving spheroid viability and growth. Collectively, PMP-based O 2 -permeable microwell plates provide a promising, scalable, high-throughput platform for spheroid culture with multiple applications in tissue engineering, drug screening and beyond.
Language: English
Subfield: Biomedical Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
Award: G3286495230
OpenAlex ID: W7220860988