3D tissue culture substrates produced by microthermoforming of pre-processed polymer films.
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.
Giselbrecht
S
S
Institute for Biological Interfaces, Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe GmbH, D-76021 Karlsruhe, Germany.
Gietzelt
T
T
Gottwald
E
E
Trautmann
C
C
Truckenmüller
R
R
Weibezahn
K F
KF
Welle
A
A
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
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D011076:Polycarboxylate Cement; D011137:Polystyrenes; C005506:polycarbonate