Preparation of hydroxyapatite micropatterns for the study of cell-biomaterial interactions

A regular hydroxyapatite (HAp) micropattern was prepared combining post-lift-off photolithography, surface grafting of negatively charged chemicals, and simulated body fluid incubation. The chemical micropatterning of the bioceramics on glass was thus successfully generated. The resulting regular HAp microarray was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. A chemical micropattern of cell-adhesive bioceramic microislands on a non-fouling background was obtained after the glass background was passivated by poly(ethylene glycol). Culture of mammal cells (MC3T3) on the micropattern illustrated that the cell localization on the HAp microislands was well achieved. The present work affords a methodology of micropatterning of bioceramics for the study of interactions between cells and bioceramics.