Chemically Modified Surface Having a Dual-Structured Hierarchical Topography for Controlled Cell Growth

This report describes a technique for fabricating dual-structured hierarchical surface topography on the surface of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) films through simply replicating prefabricated patterns and wrinkling PDMS films. To enhance the biocompatibility of PDMS films, we synthesize a biocompatible dopamine-glycopolymer, which is utilized to modify the chemical feature of the PDMS surface. Dopamine component in this copolymer is introduced for the formation of a carbohydrate layer on the surface of PDMS films because of its excellent adhesion. The carbohydrate component in this copolymer enhances the interactions between cells and PDMS films. We investigate the influence of the chemical and topographical surface properties of the extracellular matrix on fibroblast cell growth. The coupling of the dopamine-glycopolymer coating and hierarchical topography produces the best induction effect on the alignment of cells.