[Using self-assembled monolayers to understand the interactions of surfaces with cells]

It is important to understand the interactions of surfaces with cells. Self-assembled monolayers formed on the adsorption of long-chain alkanethiols to the surface of gold or alkylsilanes to hydroxylated surfaces and their patterned surfaces permit of understanding and controlling over the surface-cell interactions at the molecular scale. The present paper reviewed the latest research in using patterned self-assembled monolayers to understand surface-cell interactions.