title: Facile functionalization and assembly of live cells with microcontact-printed polymeric biomaterials.
abstract: The functionalization and assembly of live cells with microfabricated polymeric biomaterials have attracted considerable interest in recent years, but the conventional methods suffer from high cost, high complexity, long processing time or inadequate capability. The present study reports on the development of a novel method for functionalizing and assembling live cells by integrating microcontact printing of polymeric biomaterials with a temperature-sensitive sacrificial layer prepared by spin-coating. This method has been used not only to functionalize live cells with microscopic polyelectrolyte and thermoplastic structures of various sizes and shapes, but also to assemble the cells into macroscopic stripes and sheets. The method is applicable to multiple types of cells, including human leukemic cells, mouse embryonic stem cells and human mesenchymal stem cells in the forms of single cells and cell aggregates. In addition, the microcontact-printed structures can be prepared using biodegradable and biocompatible polyelectrolytes and thermoplastic. The unique combination of low cost, ease of use and high versatility renders this method potentially useful for diverse biomedical applications, including drug delivery, cell tracking and tissue engineering.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, Florida State University, 2525 Pottsdamer Street, Tallahassee, FL 32310-2870, USA.
authors.forename: Zhibin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, Florida State University, 2525 Pottsdamer Street, Tallahassee, FL 32310-2870, USA.
authors.forename: Junfei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, Florida State University, 2525 Pottsdamer Street, Tallahassee, FL 32310-2870, USA.
authors.forename: Yuanwei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, Florida State University, 2525 Pottsdamer Street, Tallahassee, FL 32310-2870, USA.
authors.forename: Ang-Chen
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, Florida State University, 2525 Pottsdamer Street, Tallahassee, FL 32310-2870, USA.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, Florida State University, 2525 Pottsdamer Street, Tallahassee, FL 32310-2870, USA; Integrative NanoScience Institute, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-4370, USA.
authors.forename: Teng
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, Florida State University, 2525 Pottsdamer Street, Tallahassee, FL 32310-2870, USA; Integrative NanoScience Institute, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-4370, USA. Electronic address: guan@eng.fsu.edu.
authors.forename: Jingjiao
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D063566:Biodegradable Plastics / Q000737:chemistry*; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D006801:Humans; D020014:K562 Cells; D008422:Materials Testing; D051379:Mice
chemical_list: D063566:Biodegradable Plastics
keywords: Layer-by-layer assembly; Microcontact printing; PLGA; Polyelectrolyte; Stem cell