Abstract
Cell micro patterning on FEP (tetrafluoroethylene-hexafluoropropylene) substrate was studied by modifying its surface using atomic oxygen beam exposure. Firstly, characteristics of the modified surface and its affinity to the cell adhesion were investigated. Roughness of the modified FEP surface measured by atomic force microscopy increased that resulted in decrease in water wettability. To evaluate change in FEP surface affinity to cells, osteoblastic cells (MC3T3E1) were cultured on pristine and modified FEP surfaces. Cell density and cell adhesive area on the modified surface were larger than those on the pristine surface, which resulted in that the surface modification increased the cell proliferation rate. Secondly, cells were cultured on micro patterned FEP surface modified by the atomic beam exposure with a mesh mask of three different patterns (circle and square dots, and linear pattern). Cells formed an adhesion pattern depending on the designed pattern surface modification. Many cells attached in the vicinity of the boundary between modified and pristine surfaces. In addition, cytoskeletal actin fibers, those are the determinant of cellular shape, were frequently aligned along the boundary.
