Microtextured Cell Culture Platforms: Biomimetic Substrates for the Growth of Cardiac Myocytes and Fibroblasts

Abstract

In order to understand the role of tissue adaptation to altered physiological states, a more physiologically and dimensionally relevant in vitro model of cardiac myocyte organization has been developed. This new cell culture system, created by microfabrication technology, provides an environment in which cells can maintain a differentiated in vivo cell phenotype. By creating microtextured geometries of varied dimension, we are able to maximize the perpendicular surface area for myocyte attachment. These platforms provide a biocompatible surface with specific microarchitectures upon which cells exhibit enhanced cellular adhesion due to increased surface area, three-dimensional geometries, and bioacceptable attachment moieties.

These microtextured membranes are created using photolithography and microfabrication techniques. Silicone and polyglycolic/lactic acid interfaces with specified microarchitecture and surface chemistry have been designed, microfabricated, and characterized for this purpose. Advantages of the microtextured membranes include the high degree of reproducibility and the ability to create features on the micron and submicron size scale. Because of the flexibility of substrate material and the ease of creating micron size structures, this technique can be applied to many other physiological and biological systems, particularly for cell physiology and mechanobiology studies.