State-of-the-Art Bioengineering Resources for Interacting with Cells

Abstract

The detailed study of cell behavior and of the interactions between the cells and with their surrounding environment can be achieved by biomedical microdevices specifically designed to assess and even to control cellular responses, as explained in several chapters of present Handbook. In fact, the development and use of biomedical microsystems capable of interacting with cells and of helping researchers to obtain relevant information from cell behavior and interactions constitutes the central topic of the Handbook. However, for enabling such studies, a set of already common technologies for the micro-manipulation, culture, labelling, monitoring and visualization of cells and their (mutual) interactions are needed. This chapter provides a brief approximation to such technologies, as they are support resources for the developments detailed in forthcoming chapters. The use of supporting software and ad hoc developed programs for the real-time control and for the automated assessment of cell behaviors, on the basis of the images obtained by adequate labelling and visualization, also help to promote the development of more systematic studies for understanding cells and ultimately life.