Fabrication of microtextured membranes for cardiac myocyte attachment and orientation

To understand the role of tissue adaptation to altered physiological states, a more physiologically and dimensionally relevant in vitro model of cardiac myocyte organization has been developed. A microtextured polymeric membrane with micron range dimensions promotes myocyte adhesion through substrate/cell interlocking and, thus, provides a more suitable stretchable matrix for studying overlying cell populations. These microtextured membranes are created using photolithography and microfabrication techniques. Biologically, mechanically, and optically compatible interfaces with specified microarchitecture and surface chemistry have been designed, microfabricated, and characterized for this purpose. Cardiac myocytes plated on these membranes display greater attachment and cell height compared to conventional culture substrates. Advantages of the microtextured membranes include the high degree of reproducibility and the ability to create features on the micron and submicron size scale. Because of the flexibility of substrate material and the ease of creating micron size structures, this technique can be applied to many other physiological and biological systems.