Copper-Free Click Chemistry Substrate for Cell Culture

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional material-fixing substrates using copper as a catalyst can damage cells and render them unsuitable for further use, as copper is toxic to cells and causes physical property damage.

Innovation Solution

A material-fixing substrate with a material-fixing agent that includes a cyclic alkyne for covalent bonding, a hydrophilic site, a light-responsive site that changes structure upon irradiation, and an attachment site for the to-be-fixed material, eliminating the need for copper and allowing for reversible attachment and detachment of cells without damage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If copper is used as a catalyst for material-fixing, then the material-fixing function is achieved, but cell damage occurs and cells cannot be reused

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvematerial-fixing functionVSAvoidcell damage

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes copper catalyst from the material-fixing system and replaces it with a copper-free click chemistry approach using a cyclic alkyne group. This extraction of the harmful copper component eliminates cell toxicity while maintaining the material-fixing function through alternative chemical mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a cyclic alkyne group as an intermediary substance that mediates the bonding between the substrate and the material-fixing agent. This intermediary enables copper-free click chemistry, achieving stable covalent bonds without requiring toxic copper catalysts, thus protecting cell viability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If copper catalyst is used for cell detachment, then cells can be released from substrate, but cells suffer physical property damage and cannot be secondarily used

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecell detachmentVSAvoidcell reusability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the chemical mechanism (copper catalysis) with a photochemical mechanism for cell detachment. By using light-responsive groups that undergo photoisomerization upon light irradiation, the bonding between cells and substrate can be reversibly controlled without copper, enabling gentle detachment that preserves cell integrity and reusability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes light irradiation to change the physical-chemical parameters of the light-responsive groups, inducing photoisomerization that reversibly alters the bonding state. This parameter change enables controlled cell attachment and detachment cycles without copper-induced damage, maintaining cell viability for repeated use.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If conventional material-fixing substrate is used, then material fixation is achieved, but copper toxicity prevents further cell culture and application

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvematerial fixationVSAvoidcell culture compatibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts copper from the material-fixing system entirely, replacing it with copper-free click chemistry using cyclic alkyne groups. This removal of toxic copper enables subsequent cell culture and multiple applications, as cells remain viable and unaffected after material fixation and detachment processes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution reduces cell damage and maintains the proliferation ability of cells, enabling repeated use and efficient recovery of cells without the need for copper as a catalyst, thereby enhancing the substrate's effectiveness and reducing costs.

Implementation Method 1

the substrate-bonding site forms a covalent bond with a surface of the substrate and includes at least a cyclic alkyne

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectClick reaction: Chemical Bonding

Implementation Method 2

a light-responsive site that is bonded to the hydrophilic site and changes the skeleton thereof by irradiation with light

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhotoisomerization: Photochromism

Data Source

PatentUS11312942B2Material-fixing substrate and method for producing same, and material-fixing agent used for material-fixing substrate

Publication Date: 2022.04.26 SONY GROUP CORP

AI summary

Provided is a material-fixing substrate that does not have to use copper as a catalyst because the substrate-bonding site includes a cyclic alkyne to form a covalent bond with a surface of the substrate, and therefore that can reduce damage to a cell, for example, in a case where a to-be-fixed material is the cell. The material-fixing substrate has a to-be-fixed material fixed thereon via a material-fixing agent. The material-fixing agent includes: a substrate-bonding site that forms a covalent bond with a surface of the substrate and includes at least a cyclic alkyne; a hydrophilic site that is bonded to the substrate-bonding site; a light-responsive site that is bonded to the hydrophilic site and changes the skeleton thereof by irradiation with light; and an attachment site to which the to-be-fixed material is attached.