Coupling of static ultramicromagnetic field with elastic micropillar-structured substrate for cell response

Micropillars have emerged as promising tools for a wide range of biological applications, while the influence of magnetic fields on cell behavior regulation has been increasingly recognized. However, the combined effect of micropillars and magnetic fields on cell behaviors remains poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the responses of H9c2 cells to ultramicromagnetic micropillar arrays using NdFeB as the tuned magnetic particles. We conducted a comparative analysis between PDMS micropillars and NdFeB/PDMS micropillars to assess their impact on cell function. Our results revealed that H9c2 cells exhibited significantly enhanced proliferation and notable cytoskeletal rearrangements on the ultramicromagnetic micropillars, surpassing the effects observed with pure PDMS micropillars. Immunostaining further indicated that cells cultured on ultramicromagnetic micropillars displayed heightened contractility compared to those on PDMS micropillars. Remarkably, the ultramicromagnetic micropillars also demonstrated the ability to decrease reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, thereby preventing F-actin degeneration. Consequently, this study introduces ultramicromagnetic micropillars as a novel tool for the regulation and detection of cell behaviors, thus paving the way for advanced investigations in tissue engineering, single-cell analysis, and the development of flexible sensors for cellular-level studies.