PRIMO Bioengineering Custom Microenvironments System

In vivo, the cellular microenvironment has a crucial impact on the regulation of cell behavior and functions such as cellular differentiation, proliferation and migration. However, its biochemical and structural complexity limits our understanding of the key parameters regulating cell behavior.
In vitro, one of the challenges confronting cell biologists is therefore to work with controlled and reproducible microenvironments to more efficiently study living cells and model diseases.
Studying the influence of the microenvironment on intracellular and intercellular mechanisms has been essential for research in cell biology, for many years now. But in this quest, in vitro cell experiments confront researchers with many challenges, such as:
• the recurring reproducibility issues,
• reliability in term of physiological relevance,
• but also ease of use,
• and efficiency.
This is why our research team has developed PRIMO: a photopatterning system performing micropatterning, microfabrication and hydrogel polymerization to overcome all this issues. We make it evolves to a new generation, PRIMO 2, with compact footprint, optic schematics allowing fluorescence and faster performances.

Product Principles
The PRIMO bioengineering technology relies on a contactless and maskless photopatterning module (PRIMO) and a dedicated software (Leonardo). The platform can be used to structure cell culture substrates through photopolymerization and to functionalize any cell culture substrate surfaces (stiff or soft, flat or microstructured) through micropatterning.
· Micropatterning:Surface functionalization
PRIMO micropatterning system allows to fine-tune cell adhesion to mimic in vivo phenotypes, study cellular mechanisms or isolate cells in reproducible conditions for standardized assays.
PRIMO photopatterning module allows to project on the substrate any image you want in order to create a protein micropattern. The combined action of UV (λ=365nm) and PLPP degrades the anti-fouling coating, in only a few seconds. The protein can then be added and will adsorb on the illuminated areas only.
· Substrate structuration
Use PRIMO photopatterning module to photopolymerize UV-sensitive resist or hydrogels and create structured substrates with controlled topography and stiffness. Micro-pillars, wells, grooves, PRIMO allows rapid prototyping of all the shapes you imagine to create substrates adapted to each experiment!
This method including:Hydrogel Structuration and Microfabrication.
· Substrate structuration and functionalization
Whether on 3D substrates you manufactured yourself or on commercially available ones, PRIMO allows you to micropattern your biomolecules. Create more complex in vitro cell microenvironments and better 3D cell culture systems!
For an easier control over your experiments, Leonardo software automatically detects microstructures to precisely align and project your images onto it.

Product Characteristics
· Time saving & independence--Rapidly optimize your experimental conditions yourself.
· High Flexibility--Download any images you want to structure and/or functionalize your substrate.
· Versatility--Use your regular cell culture substrates: flat or microstructured, stiff or soft.
· Protein micropatterning: glass coverslips, glass slides, 96 well plates, EM grids, polystyrene, PDMS, polyacrylamide gel (transfer), hydrogels.
· Hydrogel structuration: UV-curable hydrogels, PEG Acrylate, Polyacrylamide, Agar, Matrigel.
· Microfabrication: UV-curable materials, UV-photoresists.
· More than 10 proteins used daily by our users, including: Fibrinogen-488, Fibrinogen-647, Fibronectin, GFP, Neutravidin-488, Neutravidin-647, PLL-PEG-· Biotin, Protein A-647, Streptavidin, as well as primary and secondary antibodies.
· The photopatterning resolution is 1.2µm.
· The system can achieve multi-gradients etching with 256 gray levels.
· The fastest etching time for a full field pattern of 500×300µm with 20× objective is 0.5s.

Please contact us at for specific academic pricing.