The Polymer Society of Korea

Abstract

Functional polymer thin films provide a controllable platform for engineering biointerfaces relevant to stem cell culture. This study presents biointerface control via molecular assembly using functional polymer thin films for human pluripotent stem cell and neural stem cell culture. Polymer thin films were fabricated using vapor-phase deposition, allowing solvent-free processing and precise control over film composition and thickness. The assembled interfaces supported cell adhesion, controlled detachment, and functional maintenance of stem cells by modulating cell–material interactions. Differences in interfacial assembly resulted in distinct cellular responses, highlighting the role of interface-driven molecular organization in stem cell behavior. This work demonstrates molecular assembly as an effective strategy for designing functional polymer-based stem cell culture platforms and provides insights relevant to colloidal and polymer assembly as well as biointerface engineering.