Retinal pigment epithelial cell adhesion on novel micropatterned surfaces fabricated from synthetic biodegradable polymers

Novel synthetic biodegradable polymer substrates with specific chemical mic ropatterns were fabricated from poly(DL-lactic-coglycolic acid) (PLGA) and diblock copolymers of poly(ethylene glycol) and poly(DL-lactic acid) (PEG/P LA). Thin films of PLGA and PEG/PLA supported and inhibited, respectively, retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cell proliferation, with a corresponding c ell density of 352 900 and 850 cells/cm(2) after 7 days (from an initial se eding density of 15 000 cells/cm(2)). A microcontact printing technique was used to define arrays of circular (diameter of 50 mum) PLGA domains surrou nded and separated by regions (width of 50 mum) of PEG/PLA. Reversed patter ns composed of PEG/PLA circular domains surrounded by PLGA regions were als o fabricated. Both micropatterned surfaces were shown to affect initial RPE cell attachment, limit cell spreading, and promote the characteristic cubo idal cell morphology during the 8-h period of the experiments. In contrast, RPE cells on plain PLGA (control films) were elongated and appeared fibrob last-like. The reversed patterns had continuous PLGA regions that allowed c ell-cell interactions and thus higher cell adhesion. These results demonstr ate the feasibility of fabricating micropatterned synthetic biodegradable p olymer surfaces to control RPE cell morphology. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science L td. All rights reserved.