title: Directed growth of fibroblasts into three dimensional micropatterned geometries via self-assembling scaffolds.
abstract: We describe the use of conventional photolithography to construct three dimensional (3D) thin film scaffolds and direct the growth of fibroblasts into three distinct and anatomically relevant geometries: cylinders, spirals and bi-directionally folded sheets. The scaffolds were micropatterned as two dimensional sheets which then spontaneously assembled into specific geometries upon release from the underlying substrate. The viability of fibroblasts cultured on these self-assembling scaffolds was verified using fluorescence microscopy; cell morphology and spreading were studied using scanning electron microscopy. We demonstrate control over scaffold size, radius of curvature and folding pitch, thereby enabling an attractive approach for investigating the effects of these 3D geometric factors on cell behaviour.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA. mjamal1@jhu.edu
authors.forename: Mustapha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jamal
authors.forename: Noy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bassik
authors.forename: Jeong-Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Christina L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Randall
authors.forename: David H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Gracias
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051379:Mice; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000737:chemistry*