Stabilization of micropatterned polymer films as artificial extracellular matrices for tissue engineering

Honeycomb-patterned polymer films are formed upon self-organization of wate r microspheres stabilized by amphiphilic polymers. The honeycomb films can work as cell culture substrates. The films composed of heparin-cationic lip id complex, however, gradually lost the honeycomb structure when immersed i n culture medium. Crosslinking of the films was carried to stabilize the ho neycomb pattern. A bisazido derivative was used as a crosslinker connecting the constituent polymer of the honeycomb films. Morphological study of the immersed films revealed that the crosslinked films maintained the honeycom b structure in the phosphate buffer solution.