Nonadhesive nanotopography: fibroblast response to poly(n-butyl methacrylate)-poly(styrene) demixed surface features.
It is becoming clear that cells do not only respond to micrometric scale topography, but may also respond to topography at the nanometric scale. Nano-fabrication methods such as electron beam lithography are, however, expensive and time consuming. Polymer demixing of poly(styrene) and poly(4-bromostyrene) has been found to produce nano-scale islands of reproducible height, and the islands have been previously shown to effect cell events such as adhesion, spreading, proliferation, and differentiation. This study uses demixed poly(styrene) and poly(n-butyl methacrylate) to produce nano-islands with closer packing and narrower widths compared with those previously studied. Observations have been made of morphological and cytoskeletal changes in human fibroblasts interacting with 10- and 50-nm-high islands. The methods used included scanning electron microscopy, fluorescent microscopy, and optical microscopy. The results indicated that the cells do not respond differently to the 10-nm islands compared with planar samples but, in contrast, the 50-nm islands are nonadhesive.
Dalby
M J
MJ
Centre for Cell Engineering, Institute of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Joseph Black Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, United Kingdom. m.dalby@bio.gla.ac.uk
Riehle
M O
MO
Johnstone
H J H
HJ
Affrossman
S
S
Curtis
A S G
AS
D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D048429:Cell Size / Q000187:drug effects; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000187:drug effects; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008422:Materials Testing; D008689:Methacrylates / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D036103:Nanotechnology; D011137:Polystyrenes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013499:Surface Properties
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D008689:Methacrylates; D011137:Polystyrenes; C116863:poly(butyl methacrylate)