A low-cost alternative method of generating fibronectin micropatterned lines for cellular applications

Johanna Elisabeth Becher; Franziska Lautenschläger; Divyendu Goud Thalla

doi:10.1016/j.mex.2023.102240

A low-cost alternative method of generating fibronectin micropatterned lines for cellular applications

MethodsX. 2023 Jun 1:10:102240. doi: 10.1016/j.mex.2023.102240. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Johanna Elisabeth Becher¹, Franziska Lautenschläger^{2

3}, Divyendu Goud Thalla²

Affiliations

¹ Centre for Bioinformatics, Saarland University, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany.
² Experimental Physics, Saarland University, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany.
³ Centre for Biophysics, Saarland University, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany.

Abstract

The cellular microenvironment contributes to the architecture, differentiation, polarity, mechanics and functions of the cell [1]. Spatial confinement of cells using micropatterning techniques allows to alter and regulate the cellular microenvironment for a better understanding of cellular mechanisms [2]. However, commercially available micropatterned consumables such as coverslips, dishes, plates etc. are expensive. These methods are complex and based on deep UV patterning [3,4]. In this study, we establish a low-cost method for effective micropatterning using Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) chips.•We demonstrate this method by generating fibronectin-coated micropatterned lines (width, 5 µm) on a glass bottom dish.•As a proof of concept, we culture macrophages on these lines. We additionally show that this method allows to determine the cellular polarity by measuring the position of the nucleus within a cell on a micropatterned line.

Keywords: 1D migration; A low-cost alternative method of generating fibronectin micropatterned lines for cellular applications; Fibronectin coated lines; Micropatterning; Patterned lines.