Obtention and characterization of bioengineered layers onto silica-based microstructures

In this communication, we present a simple protocol to fix biological speci es to silica-based surface: glass slides and silica beads. A monofunctional silane reagent 3-cyanopropyldimethylchlorosilane was used to modify the su rface of silicon wafers and appeared to be able to strongly attach soluble antibodies through their glycosylated regions (OH groups) to solid supports . Such silane reagent was used without further derivatization. Antibodies, anchored in a following simple incubation step, were proved to be able to f ix CD45 rat cells on floating silica hollow microbeads. The originality of this study is that this type of hollow, low-density silica microbeads has n ever been used before. Moreover, it could be used in ultrasound application s, thus a further destruction of cells selectively fixed on such support co uld occur, using cavitation phenomena. Such a study can serve as a model of microbiosystem involving cell manipulation. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.