Cell-Material Interactions Revealed Via Material Techniques of Surface Patterning

• Published in: Advanced materials (Weinheim) 2013-10, Vol.25 (37), p.5257-5286
• Main Authors: Yao, Xiang, Peng, Rong, Ding, Jiandong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Biocompatible Materials - chemistry; Biocompatible Materials - pharmacology; biomedical materials; Cell adhesion; cell shape; cell-material interaction; Cells - cytology; Cells - drug effects; Cues; Differentiation; Humans; Microtechnology - methods; Nanocomposites; Nanomaterials; Nanostructure; Nanotechnology - methods; Patterning; regenerative medicine; stem cell; Stem Cells - cytology; Stem Cells - drug effects; surface patterning; Surface Properties; Topography
• ISSN: 0935-9648; 1521-4095
• DOI: 10.1002/adma.201301762

Cell–material interactions constitute a key fundamental topic in biomaterials study. Various cell cues and matrix cues as well as soluble factors regulate cell behaviors on materials. These factors are coupled with each other as usual, and thus it is very difficult to unambiguously elucidate the role of each regulator. The recently developed material techniques of surface patterning afford unique ways to reveal the underlying science. This paper reviews the pertinent material techniques to fabricate patterns of microscale and nanoscale resolutions, and corresponding cell studies. Some issues are emphasized, such as cell localization on patterned surfaces of chemical contrast, and effects of cell shape, cell size, cell–cell contact, and seeding density on differentiation of stem cells. Material cues to regulate cell adhesion, cell differentiation and other cell events are further summed up. Effects of some physical properties, such as surface topography and matrix stiffness, on cell behaviors are also discussed; nanoscaled features of substrate surfaces to regulate cell fate are summarized as well. The pertinent work sheds new insight into the cell–material interactions, and is stimulating for biomaterial design in regenerative medicine, tissue engineering, and high‐throughput detection, diagnosis, and drug screening. Various cellular and extracellular matrix's cues are decoupled via surface patterning to elucidate the role of each factor, such as the effect of cell shape on differentiation of stem cells. The pertinent patterning techniques are introduced. Chemical contrast, surface topography, matrix stiffness, and nanoscaled features of substrate surfaces to regulate cell fate are summarized. The cell geometry cues on cell adhesion and differentiation are highlighted.