Review: Micro- and nanostructured surface engineering for biomedical applications

The engineering of well-defined micro- and nanoscaled surface topographies on biomedical metals and polymeric materials has been explored as a strategy to control biological responses. In this review, the ability of surface features engineered by a variety of methods to promote or reduce protein, blood, and bacterial adhesion is discussed independent of surface chemistry. The interaction of proteins with surface topography is fundamentally important and influences the conformation, the types of protein, as well as the overall amount of protein adhesion, which in many instances is increased over the associated increase in surface area. The use of superhydrophobic surface features is discussed as a manner to engineer antifouling surfaces with protein, blood, and bacterial resistance.