Controllable and flexible cellular network for virus cell-to-cell spread

Virus spread is closely related to pathogenesis. Traditional research methods of virus spread do not distinguish cell-to-cell spread from cell-free spread. The uncertainty of virus induced plaque and virus spread direction makes it difficult to track the spread of virus in situ. Herein, the cellular network was fabricated on the basis of PEG modification and soft lithography. Therein, cell numbers and spatial distributions were precisely controlled, e.g., cellular networks like "WHU" can be achieved. Furthermore, a micro-injector was combined with the cellular network for virus spread on the fixed point, in which virus spread direction was limited in one dimension. The results suggested that controllable and flexible cellular network can be constructed on the PEG pattern. The synergia of micro-injector and cellular network provides an advanced tool to investigate virus cell-to-cell spread at the initial infection stage. (C) 2019 Chinese Chemical Society and Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.