AVS 47th International Symposium
    Biomaterial Interfaces Wednesday Sessions
       Session BI-WeA

Paper BI-WeA9
Combining Polymer Chemistry and Photolithography to Manipulate Gene Expression and Protein Synthesis

Wednesday, October 4, 2000, 4:40 pm, Room 202

Session: Non-fouling Surfaces
Presenter: K.E. Healy, University of California, Berkeley
Authors: K.E. Healy, University of California, Berkeley
J.H. Collier, Northwestern University
C.H. Thomas, Northwestern University
C. Sfeir, OHSU
S.L. Golledge, University of Washington
D.G. Castner, University of Washington
Correspondent: Click to Email
Materials that actively regulate the response of mammalian cells are designed to act via a combination of biomolecular recognition processes and device microarchitecture. We have developed methods that incorporate photolithography, organosilane chemistry, photoinitiated polymerization, and peptide chemistry to create surfaces that control the spatial distribution, projected area, and nuclear shape of mammalian cells. Interfacial interpenetrating polymer networks (IPNs) were synthesized by sequential photoinitiated free-radical polymerization of a thin layer of polyacrylamide followed by a secondary photoinitiation step using poly(ethylene glycol)-based monomers to create the network. Characterization of the IPNs by contact angle goniometry, spectroscopic ellipsometry, XPS, and static SIMS has confirmed the formation of an interfacial IPN ~ 20nm thick. These IPNs prevent protein adsorption and cell adhesion and therefore represent an excellent surface to control the spatial distribution of either biological macromolecules, cells, or viruses. In one application, materials with patterned surface chemistry could serve as templates for the organization of tissue structure surrounding medical devices, which would theoretically influence their biocompatibility. To address this hypothesis, the nuclear shape of mammalian cells was controlled on microfabricated substrata with reigospecific chemistry. Protein synthesis and expression at the mRNA level and were altered by changing the shape of the cell nucleus. Our data supports the concept of “architectural” transcription factors that promote gene expression based on optimal stress within the nuclear matrix transduced by the cytoskeleton.