title: Induction of cell-cell connections by using in situ laser lithography on a perfluoroalkyl-coated cultivation platform.
abstract: This article describes a novel laser-directed microfabrication method carried out in aqueous solution for the organization of cell networks on a platform. A femtosecond (fs) laser was applied to a platform culturing PC12, HeLa, or normal human astrocyte (NHA) cells to manipulate them and to facilitate mutual connections. By applying an fs-laser-induced impulsive force, cells were detached from their original location on the plate, and translocated onto microfabricated cell-adhesive domains that were surrounded with a cell-repellent perfluoroalkyl (R(f)) polymer. Then the fs-laser pulse-train was applied to the R(f) polymer surface to modify the cell-repellent surface, and to make cell-adhesive channels of several μm in width between each cell-adhesive domain. PC12 cells elongated along the channels and made contact with others cells. HeLa and NHA cells also migrated along the channels and connected to the other cells. Surface analysis by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) confirmed that the R(f) polymer was partially decomposed. The method presented here could contribute not only to the study of developing networks of neuronal, glial, and capillary cells, but also to the quantitative analysis of nerve function.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Materials Science, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, 8916-5 Takayama, Ikoma, Nara 630-0192, Japan. okano@ms.naist.jp
authors.forename: Kazunori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Okano
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Ai
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Matsui
authors.forename: Yasuyo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Maezawa
authors.forename: Yoichiroh
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hosokawa
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kira
authors.forename: Mie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matsubara
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Liau
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tsubokawa
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Masuhara
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000166:cytology; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002450:Cell Communication; D002460:Cell Line; D002465:Cell Movement; D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D004868:Equipment Failure; D005466:Fluorocarbons / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D007834:Lasers; D055616:Microtechnology / Q000379:methods*; D016716:PC12 Cells; D051381:Rats; D013499:Surface Properties; D046888:Tissue Array Analysis / Q000295:instrumentation*
chemical_list: D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible; D005466:Fluorocarbons