Thermoresponsive patterned nanobio interfaces for application to patterned co-culture

In this study, photoinitiated iniferter polymerization was utilized to prepare thermoresponsive interfaces for possible application in tissue engineering. Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PIPAAm) grafted layers were introduced onto glass surfaces by iniferter polymerization method. Surface analyses including static contact angle measurements, XPS analyses and AFM revealed that the surfaces were successfully modified with PIPAAm. PIPAAm-grafted surfaces showed cell adhesion/detachment control by changing initial polymerization conditions. By using porous metal mask, PIPAAm-patterned surfaces were obtained. Cells only adhered onto PIPAAm ungrafted domains at 27°C and these adhered cells proliferated to reach confluency at 37°C. These patterned thermoresponsive surfaces should be utilized to prepare well-defined patterned co-culture cell sheets valuable for tissue regenerations.