Patent ID: 8268152

Claim:
A method for assembling and cultivating complex cell arrangements, in which method initially a complex cell arrangement is assembled in a microfluidic system for assembling and subsequently cultivating complex cell arrangements, comprising a three-dimensional microstructure in which the cell arrangement is assembled and cultivated, at least two microchannel segments running in the microstructure and defining a flow direction, through which microchannel segments the microstructure can be perfused from outside with a medium, whereby the microchannel segments run approximately parallel or equidistant to one another at least in sections, a wall structure separating the at least two microchannel segments, in which wall structure at least one aperture is provided for connecting the at least two microchannel segments, and an electrode arrangement provided at the microstructure in order to generate an inhomogeneous electric field in the region of the at least one aperture, by supplying medium with cells for assembling the cell arrangement to the microstructure, and generating in the microstructure an inhomogeneous electric field which is determined by the microstructure and which brings about the assembling of a cell arrangement from the supplied cells, and subsequently cultivating the cell arrangement assembled in the three-dimensional microstructure by perfusing the three-dimensional microstructure with medium.