Aiming to observe and evaluate cell behaviors in porous scaffold such as fibroin sponge, we developed a novel method where cells are cultured on a patterned substrate containing an array of pits which mimics culture environment in porous scaffold. Rabbit chondrocytes were seeded on the patterned substrates coated with fibroin (Fib group) or collagen type I (Col group), and cell behaviors such as aggregation and adhesion in the pit were observed and quantified. The results showed that projection area of the cells in the Fib group increased along with culture period, while that in the Col group showed no significant change.
