Fabrication of Multi-Well Nanopatterned Cell Culture Platform

The function of a cell is greatly affected by the mechanical environment and specifically the extra cellular matrix (ECM) .Cells are sensitive to the local micro and nano scale topographic and bimolecular cues. Using nanopatterning technique, we can mimic the native characteristics of ECM environment. Nanopatterned substrates have been found to promote cell response and specialization such as cell elongation, alignment and migration. However, the understanding of the optimal dimensions and mechanical properties of the substrates used for individual cells is still limited. Our goal is to fabricate a large number of multi-well platforms for culturing human induced pluripotent stem cell derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs), with the goal of optimizing substrate parameters to promote cell maturation. Using a teqnique called capillary force lithography, substrates can   be patterned with a defined nanostructure over a large area (> 1 cm²) with a high degree of accuracy. We will use ultraviolet curable polyurethane with varying stiffness and dimension to fabricate a multi-well, nanopatterned platform. We hypothesize that our platforms will have tunable mechanical properties and are able to sustain cultures for long period of time without being degraded or harming the cells. These platforms will aid in efficient use of the hiPSC-CMs and the ability to test a large range of substrate topographies in experimental settings.