Controlled Cell Alignment Using Two-Photon Direct Laser Writing-Patterned Hydrogels in 2D and 3D

Jiaxi Song; Christos Michas; Christopher S Chen; Alice E White; Mark W Grinstaff

doi:10.1002/mabi.202100051

Controlled Cell Alignment Using Two-Photon Direct Laser Writing-Patterned Hydrogels in 2D and 3D

Macromol Biosci. 2021 May;21(5):e2100051. doi: 10.1002/mabi.202100051. Epub 2021 Mar 19.

Authors

Jiaxi Song¹, Christos Michas¹, Christopher S Chen¹, Alice E White^{1

2}, Mark W Grinstaff^{1

3

4}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
² Department of Mechanical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
³ Department of Chemistry, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
⁴ Department of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.

PMID: 33738917
DOI: 10.1002/mabi.202100051

Abstract

Direct laser writing (DLW) via two-photon polymerization is an emerging highly precise technique for the fabrication of intricate cellular scaffolds. Despite recent progress in using two-photon-polymerized scaffolds to probe fundamental cell behaviors, new methods to direct and modulate microscale cell alignment and selective cell adhesion using two-photon-polymerized microstructures are of keen interest. Here, a DLW-fabricated 2D and 3D hydrogel microstructures, with alternating soft and stiff regions, for precisely controlled cell alignment are reported. The use of both cell-adhesive and cell-repellent hydrogels allows selective adhesion and alignment of human mesenchymal stem cells within the printed structure. Importantly, DLW patterning enables cell alignment on flat surfaces as well as irregular and curved 3D microstructures, which are otherwise challenging to pattern with cells.

Keywords: DLW; cellular scaffolds; hydrogels; tissue engineering; two-photon polymerization.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Humans
Hydrogels / chemistry*
Lasers*
Mesenchymal Stem Cells / cytology*
Photons
Tissue Engineering / methods
Tissue Scaffolds / chemistry

Substances

Hydrogels