High-aspect-ratio nanoneedle arrays fabricated via UV-nanoimprint lithography for guided cell culture and differentiation
발표자
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초록
내용
Mechanical cues from the extracellular matrix influence cellular responses. The use of various nanotopographies as a cell culture platform has been widely investigated to control the biointerface and cellular responses precisely. Herein, we fabricated vertically aligned, high-aspect-ratio polymeric nanoneedle arrays (NNs) using the UV-nanoimprint lithography process. Polyurethane acrylate resins with varying mechanical stiffnesses were utilized to fabricate NNs with differing modulus. Successful NNs fabrication and each substrate’s modulus were confirmed by SEM and nanoindentation, respectively. On the NNs, NIH3T3 and PC12 cells proliferate without affecting their viability. Interaction between the NNs and individual cells was clearly observed via SEM. Moreover, PC12 cells on NNs expressed a higher neuronal marker, Tuj1, implying the possibility of its neuronal differentiation. We expect our NNs to be used as a versatile cell culture platform for guided neuronal differentiation.