Title: Enhancing the resolution of bioimprinted casein microdevices

Authors: Azadeh Hashemi; Volker Nock; Maan Alkaisi; Azam Ali

Addresses: Biomolecular Interaction Centre, Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, 0841, New Zealand ' Biomolecular Interaction Centre, Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, 0841, New Zealand ' Biomolecular Interaction Centre, Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, 0841, New Zealand ' Centre for Bioengineering & Nanomedicine, Department of Food Science, University of Otago, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand

Abstract: Capturing a 3D imprint of cellular morphology into a rigid biodegradable material can significantly improve the application of such materials as substrates in tissue engineering and as structural materials in implants [1]. Previous work on culturing cells on patterned substrates with bioimprinted surface features, fabricated from non-biodegradable materials such as polystyrene (PS), has shown the influence of these patterns on cell regulation and proliferation [2]. We have recently proposed the incorporation of such biomimetic tissue-like surface features onto biodegradable materials and demonstrated a process of transferring bioimprinted surface patterns into casein-based substrates [3]. The previous replication process, even though successful, exhibited limited resolution for sub-micrometre cellular features on the final casein films. In this paper we thus present a modified replication process capable of significantly improving the replication resolution. We also demonstrate for the first time a direct comparison of cellular features of individual original cells, and their primary and secondary replications in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and biodegradable casein films.

Keywords: bioimprint; casein; soft lithography; PVP; polyvinylpyrrolidone.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNT.2018.098433

International Journal of Nanotechnology, 2018 Vol.15 No.8/9/10, pp.676 - 682

Published online: 22 Mar 2019 *

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