Integration of plasma-assisted surface chemical modification, soft lithography, and protein surface activation for single-cell patterning

Surface patterning for single-cell culture was accomplished by combining plasma-assisted surface chemical modification, soft lithography, and protein-induced surface activation. Hydrophilic patterns were produced on Parylene C films deposited on glass substrates by oxygen plasma treatment through the windows of polydimethylsiloxane shadow masks. After incubation first with Pluronic F108 solution and then serum medium overnight, surface seeding with mesenchymal stem cells in serum medium resulted in single-cell patterning. The present method provides a means of surface patterning with direct implications in single-cell culture. (C) 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3462326]