Micropatterned biofunctional lubricant-infused surfaces promote selective localized cell adhesion and patterning

Area of Science:

• Bioengineering
• Surface Science
• Biomaterials

Background:

• Micropatterned biofunctional surfaces are crucial for bioengineering applications requiring controlled cell adhesion and protein interactions.
• Preventing non-specific adhesion is key for enhanced biofunctionality and targeted binding in bio-interfaces.
• Existing lubricant-infused omniphobic coatings effectively reduce non-specific adhesion but lack the ability to support targeted binding or patterning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a novel lubricant-infused surface with integrated biofunctional micropatterned domains.
• To demonstrate simultaneous promotion of localized target binding and repellency of undesired species, particularly in human whole blood.
• To establish a versatile modification method for microfluidic devices, enhancing immunoassays and inhibiting clot formation.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication involved microcontact printing, chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of fluorosilane self-assembled monolayers (SAMs), and lubricant infusion with a fluorocarbon-based lubricant.
• Surfaces were patterned with anti-CD34 antibodies for specific cell and biomolecule capture.
• Performance was evaluated in microfluidic devices using buffer and human whole blood, comparing against conventional blocking agents like BSA and PEG.

Main Results:

• The developed micropatterned lubricant-infused surfaces successfully promoted localized and directed binding of target biomolecules and CD34 positive cells (HUVECs).
• These surfaces demonstrated superior performance in both buffer and human whole blood compared to conventional blocking methods.
• The integrated system effectively repelled undesired species while facilitating specific adhesion within microfluidic channels.

Conclusions:

• This novel approach creates biofunctional micropatterned lubricant-infused surfaces that enhance blocking capabilities while preserving targeted biofunctionality.
• The method is easily translatable to microfluidic devices, offering improved performance for immunoassays and clot inhibition in complex biological samples like whole blood.
• These interfaces present a promising strategy for advanced biosensors and microfluidic applications requiring precise control over biomolecular interactions and prevention of non-specific adhesion.