Covalent Microcontact Printing of Proteins for Cell Patterning

• Published in: Chemistry : a European journal Vol. 12; no. 24; pp. 6290 - 6297
• Main Authors: Rozkiewicz, Dorota I., Kraan, Yvonne, Werten, Marc W. T., de Wolf, Frits A., Subramaniam, Vinod, Ravoo, Bart Jan, Reinhoudt, David N.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Weinheim WILEY-VCH Verlag 16.08.2006; WILEY‐VCH Verlag
• Subjects: Aldehydes - chemistry; attachment; Cell Adhesion; Collagen Type III - chemistry; Collagen Type III - metabolism; Cytological Techniques - methods; deposition; Dimethylpolysiloxanes - chemistry; environments; gold; Gold - chemistry; HeLa Cells; Humans; Imines - chemistry; immobilization; mammalian-cells; microcontact printing; microelectrodes; Microscopy, Confocal; networks; Polyethylene Glycols - chemistry; proteins; self-assembled monolayers; Silicon Dioxide - chemistry; Silicones - chemistry; soft lithography; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; surface chemistry; surfaces
• ISSN: 0947-6539; 1521-3765
• DOI: 10.1002/chem.200501554

We describe a straightforward approach to the covalent immobilization of cytophilic proteins by microcontact printing, which can be used to pattern cells on substrates. Cytophilic proteins are printed in micropatterns on reactive self‐assembled monolayers by using imine chemistry. An aldehyde‐terminated monolayer on glass or on gold was obtained by the reaction between an amino‐terminated monolayer and terephthaldialdehyde. The aldehyde monolayer was employed as a substrate for the direct microcontact printing of bioengineered, collagen‐like proteins by using an oxidized poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) stamp. After immobilization of the proteins into adhesive “islands”, the remaining areas were blocked with amino‐poly(ethylene glycol), which forms a layer that is resistant to cell adhesion. Human malignant carcinoma (HeLa) cells were seeded and incubated onto the patterned substrate. It was found that these cells adhere to and spread selectively on the protein islands, and avoid the poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) zones. These findings illustrate the importance of microcontact printing as a method for positioning proteins at surfaces and demonstrate the scope of controlled surface chemistry to direct cell adhesion. Telling a cell where to go! The adhesion of cells to solid substrates can be directed by covalent microcontact printing of monolayers of collagen‐like proteins in micropatterns (see figure).