Nanostructured Artificial Biointerfaces

• AbstractThe interactions occurring between biological systems and the surface of biomaterials hasbeen an area of strong research focus for a number of decades. There has been a realisation ofthe importance of macromolecular interactions and a consequent need to understandbiointerfacial events at the nanometer length-scale. A set of tools for working at thenanometer scale are critical for the study, design and evaluation of new biomaterials forapplication to improve medical devices and therapies and there has been a significant researchdrive to develop engineering approaches able to perform in the nanometer regime. One suchengineering approach to nanopattern model biomaterial interfaces over large areas is colloidallithography. In this thesis work colloidal lithography is extended from metals and ceramicsfor use with organic materials including bulk homopolymers, thin films of bothhomopolymers and block copolymers and monolayers of proteins. Large area arrays oftopographic nanostructures with a range of aspect ratios and shapes are demonstrated bysystematic control of processing parameters. Templating of block copolymers via topographicor chemical nanopatterns was shown and a templated PLL-g-PEG layer was subsequentlyused to create large area nanopatterns of the protein Laminin. A novel approach to quantifyingprotein binding from AFM height histograms was developed and utilised to characterise thefunctional properties of the surface bound Laminin. Artificial nanostructured biointerfacesproduced by these approaches giving nanoscale topographic or chemical cues were used tostudy the influence of nanoscale surface structures on the behaviour of adherent cells inculture. Significant changes in cellular morphology and cytoskeletal arrangement wereobserved which correlated to reduced focal adhesion formation. Cells adherent tonanopatterns of protein adhesive domains and high aspect ratio (

Ämnesord

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Materialteknik -- Bearbetnings-, yt- och fogningsteknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Materials Engineering -- Manufacturing, Surface and Joining Technology (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Colloidal Lithography

Electrostatic Self Assembly

Nanofabrication

Cell

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