Dynamic Cell Culture Device Using Electroactive Polymer Actuators with Composite Electrodes to Transfer In-Plane Mechanical Strain to Cells

Living tissues in the body receive various types of stimuli, including mechanical strain, pressure, and varied chemical environments. In contrast, conventional cell cultures are processed under in vitro conditions, which are not similar to the actual body’s environment. To precisely simulate the human body environment, a dynamic cell culture device capable of applying mechanical stimulation to cells is needed. In this study, an acrylic dielectric elastomer electroactive polymer (EAP), is introduced as a driving component for a dynamic cell culture device with a simple structure. The device is composed of separated upper and lower modules with a driving film at the center, By assembling these components, the electrodes on the surface of the driving film are isolated but still connected by columns that can transfer the deformation of the driving apparatus to the culture membrane. The culturing performance of cells according to the mechanical stimuli was experimentally investigated and compared. Tensile strain was found to provide the highest improvement in cell development rate, reaching up to 32.3%. These results highlight the utility of EAPs for compact and biocompatible dynamic cell culture device design.