Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40730156›Full record

ArticleCell reports methods2025

3D-printed plugs enhance cell usage efficiency for single-cell migration and neuron axon guidance assays.

Jinxiong Cheng, Edwin C Rock, Mishal Rao, Hsiao-Chun Chen, Yushu Ma, Kun-Che Chang, Yu-Chih Chen

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Cell reports methods, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Jinxiong ChengUPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, 5115 Centre Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA; Department of Bioengineering, Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, 3700 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA.
Edwin C RockDepartment of Bioengineering, Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, 3700 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA.
Mishal RaoDepartment of Ophthalmology, Louis J. Fox Center for Vision Restoration, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
Hsiao-Chun ChenUPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, 5115 Centre Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA; Department of Bioengineering, Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, 3700 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA.
Yushu MaUPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, 5115 Centre Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA; Department of Computational and Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh, 3420 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA.
Kun-Che ChangDepartment of Bioengineering, Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, 3700 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA; Department of Ophthalmology, Louis J. Fox Center for Vision Restoration, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; Department of Neurobiology, Center of Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
Yu-Chih ChenUPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, 5115 Centre Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA; Department of Bioengineering, Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, 3700 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA; Department of Computational and Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh, 3420 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA; CMU-Pitt Ph.D. Program in Computational Biology, University of Pittsburgh, 3420 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA. Electronic address: cheny25@upmc.edu.

Funding

VECTOR CORE FACILITYP30CA047904 · NCI · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · PI CHRISTOPHER J. BAKKENIST · 1988 to 2026
$158.0M
Virus Production and Manipulation of Protein/Gene Expression ModuleP30EY008098 · NEI · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · PI Yuanyuan Chen · 1989 to 2026
$17.8M
Project 3: Hedgehog Inhibition to Enhance Response to ICI TherapyP50CA272218 · NCI · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · PI FRANCESMARY MODUGNO · 2023 to 2026
$11.0M
Deciphering Cellular Heterogeneity and Inheritability in MigrationR35GM150509 · NIGMS · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · PI Yu-Chih Chen · 2023 to 2026
$1.5M
NCI NIH HHS P30 CA047904NCI NIH HHS P50 CA272218NEI NIH HHS P30 EY008098NIGMS NIH HHS R35 GM150509
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

This paper reports a 3D-printed plug as a meso-scale interface solution that minimizes sample loss and enhances cell usage efficiency, seamlessly connecting microfluidic systems to conventional well plates. The plug concentrates cells near the region of interest for chemotaxis, reducing cell number requirements and featuring tapered structures for efficient manual or robotic liquid handling. Comprehensive testing showed that the plug increased cell usage efficiency in single-cell migration assays by 8-fold, maintaining accuracy and sensitivity. We also extended our approach to neuron axon guidance assays, where limited cell availability is a constraint, and observed substantial improvements in assay outcomes. This integration of 3D printing with microfluidics establishes low-loss interfaces for precious samples, advancing the capabilities of microfluidic technology.

Indexed as

Axon GuidanceCell MovementNeuronsPrinting, Three-DimensionalSingle-Cell AnalysisAnimalsHumansMicrofluidics3D printingcell migrationCP: BiotechnologyCP: Neurosciencemicrofluidicsneuron axon guidancesingle-cell analysis

Identifiers

PMID40730156
PMCPMC12461588

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.