Variation in contact guidance by human cells on a microstructured surface

Contact guidance induced by the surface topography of the underlying substratum influences the interaction of tissue cells with implanted material. It was the aim of this study to compare the reaction of different human cells on the same surface microtexture. After staining with fluoresceinediacetate, the orientation of human fibroblasts, gingival keratinocytes, neutrophils, monocytes, and macrophages on a regular surface microstructure of 1 microns pitch and 1 microns depth was analyzed by fluorescence microscopy. Contact guidance could not be observed in the experiments with keratinocytes and neutrophils, but 100% of the fibroblasts and approximately 20% of the monocytes and macrophages reacted with alignment. After 2 h some of the macrophages extended long dendritic cellular processes parallel to the long axis of the microstructures.