DNA Hybridization to Control Cellular Interactions

A key challenge in many biological studies is the inability to control the placement of cells in two and three dimensions. As our understanding of the importance of complexity in cellular communities increases, better tools are needed to control the spatial arrangements of cells. One universal method to govern these interactions is DNA hybridization, which relies on the inherent interaction between complementary DNA sequences. DNA hybridization has long been used to assemble complex structures of nanoparticles and more recently has been applied to the complex arrangements of cells. Using this technology, our understanding of biological interactions has significantly improved. Improvement of methods to control the interactions between cells provides powerful tools to test hypotheses about intercellular interactions, nutrient transfer, and complex diseases. DNA hybridization-based cell adhesion enables single cell-level control over the adhesion of cells to surfaces. DNA hybridization-based cell adhesion facilitates the direct interfacing of electron transfer-proficient cells and electrodes. MRI monitoring of specific populations of cells in a human is possible through specific labeling of cells with nanoparticles through DNA hybridization. The construction of tissue-specific organoids using DNA-programmed assembly of cells (DPAC) has enabled the modeling and study of aging and the proper folding of the gut lining with precision that was previously unattainable.