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Updated: Jun 12, 2026
Simple Lithography-Free Single Cell Micropatterning using Laser-Cut Stencils
Published on: April 3, 2020
SOFT-MI: a novel microfabrication technique integrating soft-lithography and molecular imprinting for tissue
Giovanni Vozzi1, Ilaria Morelli, Federico Vozzi
1Department of Chemical Engineering, Industrial Chemistry and Material Science, University of Pisa, Via Diotisalvi 2, 56126 Pisa, Italy. g.vozzi@ing.unipi.it
Abstract:
An innovative approach has been employed for the realization of bioactive scaffolds able to mimic the in vivo cellular microenvironment for tissue engineering applications. This method is based on the combination of molecular imprinting and soft-lithography technology to enhance cellular adhesion and to guide cell growth and proliferation due to presence of highly specific recognition sites of selected biomolecules on a well-defined polymeric microstructure. In this article polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) scaffolds have been realized by using poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) microstructured molds imprinted with FITC-albumin and TRITC-lectin. In addition gelatin, an adhesion protein, was employed for the molecular imprinting of polymeric scaffolds for cellular tests. The most innovative aspect of this research was the molecular imprinting of whole cells for the development of substrates able to enhance the cell adhesion processes.
