title: Efficient creation of cellular micropatterns with long-term stability and their geometric effects on cell behavior.
abstract: Cellular micropatterning with bio-adhesive and nonadhesive areas has attracted increasing interest for the precise design of cell-to-surface attachment in cell biology studies, tissue engineering, cell-based biosensors, biological assays, and drug development and screening. In this paper we describe a simple and efficient method to create a two-dimensional stable cellular microenvironment, which is based on (1) forming a protein-resistant oligo(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate polymer layer on the substrates via surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization; (2) placing a defined photomask on the substrate and exposing the substrate to ultraviolet light; and (3) immersing the patterned surface in a fibronectin solution to form cell-adhesive protein patterns in a cell-resistant background. The resulting surfaces are tailored into cell-adhesive and cell-resistant regions. Three different types of cells (NIH-3T3, PC12, bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells) are seeded on such patterned surfaces to form cellular patterns. The geometric effects on cell behavior are investigated. The long-term stability is tested by NIH-3T3 fibroblasts and mesenchymal stem cells and excellent retention of cellular patterns is observed. The strategy illustrated here offers an efficient way to create a stable, patterned cellular microenvironment, and could be employed in tissue engineering to study the effect of micropatterns on the proliferation and differentiation of cells, and in particular mesenchymal stem cells.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China. nphuang@seu.edu.cn
authors.forename: Ning-Ping
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Hai
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Yan-Yan
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jun-Cai
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Xi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Mao
mesh_terms: D000179:Acrylates / Q000494:pharmacology; D000327:Adsorption / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D060833:Cellular Microenvironment / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000494:pharmacology; D016650:Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate / Q000378:metabolism; D005453:Fluorescence; D005898:Glass / Q000737:chemistry; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D008858:Microscopy, Phase-Contrast; D041681:NIH 3T3 Cells; D016716:PC12 Cells; D056951:Photoelectron Spectroscopy; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000494:pharmacology; D058105:Polymerization / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D013499:Surface Properties / Q000187:drug effects; D013997:Time Factors; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D000179:Acrylates; D005353:Fibronectins; C530664:poly(oligoethylene glycol methyl ether acrylate); D014867:Water; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D016650:Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate