Patterned superhydrophobic surfaces for the combinatorial assessment of 3D biomaterials-cells interactions

Cells-biomaterials interactions are dependent on a wide range of fac- tors, namely substrate mechanical properties. Usually in the study of mechanotransduction phenomena 2D models are used and surface modification of the biomaterials is performed to suppress the effect of materials chemistry. However, 3D structures provide a more accurate mimicry of the physiological media. In high-throughput analysis cell encapsulation is commonly used, although in different stiffness hydro- gels the maintenance of chemical features is difficult to achieve. Wetta- ble spots were patterned in superhydrophobic surfaces in order to deposit polymeric precursors and generate combinatorial porous scaf- folds. On-chip dynamic mechanical analysis was performed, as well as simultaneous quantification of porosity of several scaffolds. After select- ing groups of scaffolds with a wide range of mechanical and morpho- logical properties, a new array was created, consisting of these scaffolds with fibronectin adsorbed through the whole solid structure. Protein adsorption was studied by image analysis. The adhesion of two different cell types was studied. A tendency for an increased metabolic activity/cell number rate could be observed for pre-osteoblast cells in high stiffness scaffolds, while an opposite tendency was verified for fi- broblasts. In both cell types, mainly for pre-osteblasts, a tendency for increased metabolic activity and cell number in the scaffolds in the presence of fibronectin was observed.