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. 2015 Dec 1;4(1):457–468. doi: 10.1089/biores.2015.0037

FIG. 1.

FIG. 1.

Characterization of the silicon nitride porous supports and cell growth. (A) From left to right: polyethylene terephthalate (PET) well; Silicon nitride Microporous Permeable Insert (SIMPLI)-well; schematic view of an SIMPLI-well composed of upper polycarbonate cylinder (i), silicon O-ring (ii), ceramic chip (iii), Teflon antiwear joint (iv), and lower cylindrical gasket (v)—the two cylindrical moieties slide one into the other and tightly clamp the ceramic chip through a bayonet locking system; ceramic chip of dimensions 14 mm × 14 mm displaying an array of 23 permeable wells; 1 mm × 1 mm permeable well; scanning electron microscopy image of adjacent pores with a diameter of 1 μm in hexagonal pattern, yielding a 15% filling factor. (B) Fluorescence pictures of A549 epithelial cells grown for 7 days on the silicon nitride porous support showing the growth of cells on different areas, such as the silicon (Si) well slope and the silicon nitride flat membrane in the permeable well bottom (1 × 1 mm2). The F-actin cytoskeleton has been stained with rhodamine phalloidin (shown in white). (C) Phase-contrast images of A549 epithelial and EA.hy926 endothelial cells grown on the silicon nitride porous supports and conventional PET membranes with 3-μm pores.