Surface characterization of poly(methyl methacrylate) microgrooved for contact guidance of mammalian cells

High-resolution patterns of grooves have been made in poly(methyl methacryl ate) films, PMMA, by an electron-beam microlithographic process. The surfac e of films processed over a large width was characterized in terms of chemi cal composition (X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), time of flight sec ondary ion mass spectroscopy), wettability (sessile drop) and topography (a tomic force microscopy). Collagen adsorption was also studied (radiocountin g, XPS) as such or in competition with Pluronic F68. The chemical alteratio n of the surface induced by the electron-beam irradiation disappeared after the dissolution involved in the development process. WI38 human fibroblast s cultivated on microgrooved substrata (grooves 1 mum deep and 0.5-10 mum w ide) showed a strong orientation parallel to the grooves. The contact guida nce is induced by the topography of the surface and not by the alternation of zones with different physico-chemical properties. Tt may be explained in terms of probability of successful substratum contact by cell protrusions. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.