Model porous surfaces for systematic studies of material‐cell interactions

Abstract A model system for studying cell‐surface interactions, based on microfabricated cell culture substrates, has been developed and is described here. Porous surfaces consisting of interconnecting channels with openings of subcellular dimensions are generated on flat, single crystal, silicon substrates. Channel size (width, depth), distribution, and surface coating can be varied independently and used for systematic investigation of how topographical, chemical, and elastic surface properties influence cell or tissue biological responses. Model porous surfaces have been produced by using two different microfabrication methods. Submicron‐sized channels with very high depth‐to‐width aspect ratios (up to 30) have been made by using electron beam lithography and anisotropic reactive ion etching into single‐crystal silicon. Another method uses thick‐resist photolithography, which can be used to produce channels wider than 1 μm and with depth‐to‐width aspect ratios below 20 in an epoxy polymer. Preliminary cell culture tests show that fibroblasts bridge 0.8‐ to 1.8‐μm‐wide channels with very few exceptions (i.e., a continuous space below the cell‐surface interface is created). It has also been shown that variation of channel periodicity significantly affects fibroblast morphology and attachment density. With this model system, it is possible to load the channels with bioactive substances intended to interact with cells at or near the surface in a time‐dependent manner. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 66A: 707–721, 2003