We report upon a novel coplanar dielectrophoresis (DEP) based cell patterning system for generating
transferrable hepatic cell constructs, resembling a liver-lobule, in culture. The use of paper reinforced gel
substrates provided sufficient strength to enable these constructs to be transfered into 96-well plates for
long term functional studies, including in the future, drug development studies. Experimental results
showed that hepatic cells formed DEP field-induced structures corresponding to an array of lobulemimetic patterns. Hepatic viability was observed over a period of 3 days by the use of a fluorescent cell
staining technique, whilst the liver specific functionality of albumin secretion showed a significant
enhancement due to the layer patterning of cell lines (HepG2/C3A), compared to 2D patterned cells and
un-patterned control. This “build and transfer” concept could, in future, also be adapted for the layer-bylayer construction of organs-on-chip in microtitre formats
