Colony development of laser printed eukaryotic (yeast and microalga) microorganisms in co-culture

Laser Induced Forward Transfer (LIFT) bioprinting is one of a group of techniques that have been largely applied for printing mammalian cells so far. Bioprinting allows precise placement of viable cells in a defined matrix with the aim of directed three-dimensional development of tissues. In this study, laser bioprinting is used to precisely place eukaryotic microorganisms in specific patterns that allow growth and microscopic observation of the organisms’ micro-colonies. Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. bayanus and Chlorella vulgaris are used as model organisms for this purpose. Growth and development of the micro-colonies are studied via confocal microscopy and the colonies’ growth rates are determined by image analysis. The developed protocols for printing of microorganisms and growth-rate determination of the micro-colonies are very promising for future studies of colony growth and development.