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Using azobenzene-embedded self-assembled monolayers to photochemically control cell adhesion reversibly
Dingbin Liu1, Yunyan Xie, Huawu Shao
1Natural Products Research Center, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.9 Section 4, Renmin Nan Road, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China.
Angewandte Chemie (International Ed. in English)
|May 12, 2009
Summary
Researchers developed a novel surface that controls cell adhesion using light. This photochemical modulation, achieved through a mixed self-assembled monolayer, allows surfaces to either promote or prevent cell attachment by altering azobenzene configurations.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Biotechnology
- Surface Chemistry
Background:
- Controlling cell adhesion is crucial for various biomedical applications.
- Existing methods for modulating cell adhesion can be complex or lack precise control.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a light-responsive surface for precise control over cell adhesion.
- To engineer a self-assembled monolayer capable of reversible cell attachment modulation.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of a mixed self-assembled monolayer using two alkanethiols.
- One alkanethiol functionalized with a peptide, the other with a cell-repellent hexa(ethylene glycol) group.
- Utilizing the reversible E/Z isomerization of an azobenzene moiety for photochemical control.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated successful modulation of cell adhesion via photochemical control.
- The surface could be switched between supporting and resisting cell adhesion.
- The azobenzene unit's configuration dictates the surface's cell-adhesive properties.
Conclusions:
- A mixed self-assembled monolayer offers a viable platform for light-controlled cell adhesion.
- Photochemical switching provides a non-invasive method to regulate cell attachment.
- This technology has potential applications in tissue engineering and cell-based assays.
