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Flotation of small solid objects and liquid droplets on water is critical to natural and industrial activities. This paper reports the floating mechanism of liquid marbles, or liquid droplets coated with hydrophobic microparticles. We used X-ray computed tomography (XCT) to acquire cross-sectional images of the floating liquid marble and interface between the different phases. We then analysed the shape of the liquid marble and the angles at the three-phase contact line (TPCL). We found that the small floating liquid marbles follow the mechanism governing the flotation of solid objects in terms of surface tension forces. However, the contact angles formed and deformation of the liquid marble resemble that of a sessile liquid droplet on a thin, elastic solid. For small liquid marbles, the contact angle varies with volume due to the deformability of the interface.

We describe a novel protocol for three-dimensional culturing of olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs), which can be used to understand how OECs interact with other cells in three dimensions. Transplantation of OECs is being trialled for repair of the paralysed spinal cord, with promising but variable results and thus the therapy needs improving. To date, studies of OEC behaviour in a multicellular environment have been hampered by the lack of suitable three-dimensional cell culture models. Here, we exploit the floating liquid marble, a liquid droplet coated with hydrophobic powder and placed on a liquid bath. The presence of the liquid bath increases the humidity and minimises the effect of evaporation. Floating liquid marbles allow the OECs to freely associate and interact to produce OEC spheroids with uniform shapes and sizes. In contrast, a sessile liquid marble on a solid surface suffers from evaporation and the cells aggregate with irregular shapes. We used floating liquid marbles to co-culture OECs with Schwann cells and astrocytes which formed natural structures without the confines of gels or bounding layers. This protocol can be used to determine how OECs and other cell types associate and interact while forming complex cell structures., JSJ was funded by a grant from the Perry Cross Spinal Research Foundation; NTN was funded from Griffith University through a start-up grant and a grant from the Griffith University Research Infrastructure Program; JAK was funded by an Australian Research Council Discovery Grant DP150104495; JT was funded by an Eskitis Institute scholarship; CO was funded by a Griffith Sciences scholarship; RV was funded by a Griffith University International Postgraduate Research Scholarship.

Three-dimensional (3D) printing of human tissues and organ has been an exciting research topic in the past three decades. However, existing technological and biological challenges still require a significant amount of research. The present review highlights these challenges and discusses their potential solutions such as mapping and converting a human organ onto a 3D virtual design, synchronizing the virtual design with the printing hardware. Moreover, the paper discusses in details recent advances in formulating bio-inks and challenges in tissue construction with or without scaffold. Next, the paper reviews fusion processes effecting vascular cells and tissues. Finally, the paper deliberates the feasibility of organ printing with state-of-the-art technologies.