Preparation of 2-directional gradient surfaces for the analysis of cell-surface interactions

Abstract

The ability to evaluate and control the cellular response to substrate materials is the key to a wide range of biomedical applications ranging from diagnostic tools to regenerative medicine. Gradient surfaces provide a simple and fast method for investigating optimal surface conditions for cellular responses such as attachment and growth. By using two orthogonal gradients on the same substrate, a large space of possible combinations can be screened simultaneously. Here, we have investigated the combination of a porous silicon (pSi) based topography gradient with a plasma polymer based thickness gradient. pSi was laterally anodised on a 1.5 × 2.5cm2 silicon surface using hydrofluoric acid to ..