Micro‐nanopatterning as tool to study the role of physicochemical properties on cell–surface interactions

Abstract

The current nano-biotechnologies interfacing synthetic materials and cell biology requires a better understanding of cell-surface interactions on the micro-to-nanometer scale. Cell-substrate interactions are mediated by the presence of proteins adsorbed from biological fluids to the substrate. The effect of nanotopography and surface chemistry on protein adsorption as well as the mediation effect on subsequent cellular communication with substratum is not well documented. This review discusses the role of physicochemical properties of cell-surface interactions and state-of-the-art methods currently available for micro-nanoscale surface fabrication and patterning. We also briefly discuss the current surface patterning techniques that allow the combination of a fine and independent control on nanotopography and chemistry to understand the effect of surface nanoscale substrate morphology on cell-surface interactions which has never been realized in previous reports. In addition, we discuss the influence of various chemical patterning and modulation of the nano-topography of surfaces on cell functionality and phenotype.

An academic, clinical and industrial update on electrospun, additive manufactured and imprinted medical devices

“…Chemical manipulation post-imprinting affects the material surface physicochemical properties, resulting in swelling, surface texturing and topographical modification at both nano-and micro-scale [94]. Conversely, the thermo-mechanical processes commonly utilised in imprint lithography can disrupt the chemical properties of a biomaterial, in particular, surface tethered proteins or incorporated biomolecules [94].…”

“…Conversely, the thermo-mechanical processes commonly utilised in imprint lithography can disrupt the chemical properties of a biomaterial, in particular, surface tethered proteins or incorporated biomolecules [94]. Click functionalisation and cure-activated functional nano-layer transfer have overcome problems encountered particularly in postfunctionalisation processing of imprinted polymers [92,110,111].…”

“…The patterned elastomeric mould is coated with a self-assembling material and applied to a planar substrate to transfer a pattern onto its surface [93]. NIL employs thermo-mechanical embossing under defined temperatures and loading to induce the physical deformation of a material, in order to transfer the topographical features of a master template [94,95] into a thermoplastic substrate.…”

Highly wear-resistant and biocompatible carbon nanocomposite coatings for dental implants

“…Besides, thin DLC coatings usually have smooth surface and tend to reproduce the initial topography of the substrate [17]. CNCs deposited by the C 60 ion beam showed unique nanoscale topography [29,30] that could be helpful for various biological applications [33,34].…”

Capturing extracellular matrix properties in vitro: Microengineering materials to decipher cell and tissue level processes

“…5 Degradable 24 and dynamically tunable 25 platforms elucidate how cells react to changes in their microenvironments. Techniques such as 3D printing 26 and nanopatterning 27 allow for investigating processes on tissue and subcellular scales, respectively. These advances, along with others, have enabled engineered in vitro environments to be much more accurate model systems for in vivo processes, yielding considerable insights on cellular behavior.…”