title: 3D tissue culture substrates produced by microthermoforming of pre-processed polymer films.
abstract: We describe a new technology based on thermoforming as a microfabrication process. It significantly enhances the tailoring of polymers for three dimensional tissue engineering purposes since for the first time highly resolved surface and bulk modifications prior to a microstructuring process can be realised. In contrast to typical micro moulding techniques, the melting phase is avoided and thus allows the forming of pre-processed polymer films. The polymer is formed in a thermoelastic state without loss of material coherence. Therefore, previously generated modifications can be preserved. To prove the feasibility of our newly developed technique, so called SMART = Substrate Modification And Replication by Thermoforming, polymer films treated by various polymer modification methods, like UV-based patterned films, and films modified by the bombardment with energetic heavy ions, were post-processed by microthermoforming. The preservation of locally applied specific surface and bulk features was demonstrated e.g. by the selective adhesion of cells to patterned microcavity walls.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Biological Interfaces, Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe GmbH, D-76021 Karlsruhe, Germany.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Giselbrecht
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gietzelt
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gottwald
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Trautmann
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Truckenmüller
authors.forename: K F
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Weibezahn
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Welle
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D006801:Humans; D008422:Materials Testing; D051379:Mice; D011076:Polycarboxylate Cement; D011137:Polystyrenes; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D011076:Polycarboxylate Cement; D011137:Polystyrenes; C005506:polycarbonate