Chemistries for Making Additive Nanolithography in OrmoComp Permissive for Cell Adhesion and Growth

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Neuroscience
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Two-photon lithography enables precise fabrication of complex nanoarchitectures using photopolymers.
• Acrylate-based polymers, commonly used in lithography, often exhibit poor cell adhesion, limiting their biological applications.
• Specifically, OrmoComp, a common photopolymer, does not support the attachment and growth of E18 murine cortical neurons.

Purpose of the Study:

• To enhance the biocompatibility of lithographically fabricated nanoarchitectures.
• To enable neuron adhesion and growth on OrmoComp structures for advanced biological studies.
• To develop a surface modification strategy that complements existing cell culture coatings.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of nanoarchitectures using two-photon lithography with OrmoComp.
• Surface functionalization of OrmoComp structures via reaction with various diamines.
• Assessment of E18 murine cortical neuron attachment and growth on modified and unmodified surfaces.
• Comparison of amine-terminated OrmoComp coatings with traditional poly-d-lysine (PDL) and laminin coatings.

Main Results:

• Unmodified OrmoComp structures did not support E18 murine cortical neuron adhesion and growth.
• Reaction with specific diamines rendered OrmoComp surfaces permissive for neuron attachment and growth.
• The amine-terminated surfaces provided a cell-compatible coating, mimicking poly-d-lysine (PDL) and laminin effects.
• This modification allowed for orthogonal patterning, distinguishing functionalized areas from the surrounding substrate.

Conclusions:

• Surface modification of OrmoComp with diamines effectively promotes neuron adhesion and growth.
• This approach offers a novel method for creating cell-instructive biomaterials for neuroscience research.
• Orthogonally modified nanoarchitectures provide enhanced design flexibility for advanced biological studies and tissue engineering.