CONTAINMENT AND GROWTH OF NEUROBLASTOMA-CELLS ON CHEMICALLY PATTERNEDSUBSTRATES

Patterned substrates offer the promise of controlled positioning and d irectional guidance of growing neurites. Therefore, they could be usef ul for constructing small neuronal networks with defined geometry in v itro. We have fabricated chemically patterned substrates using self-as sembled monolayer films with a lithographic mask technique and demonst rated the feasibility for geometrically patterning neuroblastoma cells in culture. N-octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS) was chemically bonded to glass and fused silica substrates, rendering the surface hydrophobic and non-adhesive to cells. Using surface analysis techniques,:we have confirmed that OTS films were true monolayers and can be photocleaved from the surface by deep W irradiation. An adhesive pattern of n-(2-am inoethyl-3-aminopropyl)trimethoxy was formed on a selectively irradiat ed OTS surface via a deep W lithographic procedure. The chemically pat terned surface was then seeded with SK-N-SH human neuroblastoma cells, and cellular attachment and growth were monitored by optical microsco py. The use of 2-dimensional substrates supported the containment and growth of neuroblastoma cells within the pattern for at least 15 days in culture. These chemical patterns may also be useful in controlled a rrangements of heart cells or muscle cells on prosthetic implant devic es.