Nanostructured films as a novel substrate for chondrocytes growth

We fabricated a large area silica nano-particle monolayer on glass substrates for the cell growth by the Langmuir-Blodgett technique. A thin film of 300 nm sized mono-dispersed silica particles was constructed on the air-water interface and transferred onto a glass substrate. Chondrocytes were cultured on nano-structured substrates and bare glass substrates for 8 days. The characterizations of chondrocytes on nano-structured substrate were conducted on 3rd and 6th day using confocal laser microscopy and with MTT assay for 8 days. The chondrocytes cultured on nano-structured substrate showed podia like spike and their size was larger than that formed on bare glass substrate. The metabolic activity of chondrocytes on nano-structured substrate was lower than that on bare glass substrate at early-stage, but it was recovered after 4 days.