Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Fig. 4
Schematic cartoon for micro- or nanopatterned substrates for cell engineering. First, the
pattern is defi ned in a radiation-sensitive resist coated on the substrate (
a
) with electron beam or
another lithographic technique (
b
). After resist development (
c
), it serves as a mask to transfer the
pattern onto the substrate by dry or wet etching process (
d
). Resulting pattern can be used imme-
diately for experiments with cells or as a stamp in contact micro- or nanoprinting (
f
). The stamp is
inked with desired biomolecule or chemical agent and pressed onto a preconditioned adhesive
surface (
e
). The ink solution is transferred to the surface with the pattern of the stamp (
h
). The
uncoated areas can be further derivatized with another chemistry to control wettability, adhesion,
biological specifi city, and other material surface properties on nanoscale
constructs. In addition to modifying surface topography and chemistry to regulate
cell adhesion, an alternate methodology of applying physical forces that can induce
the similar cellular responses has been demonstrated. For example, because cellular
behaviors have been shown to depend on the local electrical environment within
