US2015125957A1PendingUtilityA1

Cellular response to surface with nanoscale heterogeneous rigidity

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Assignee: BIGGS MANUS J PPriority: Apr 2, 2008Filed: Oct 24, 2014Published: May 7, 2015
Est. expiryApr 2, 2028(~1.7 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Manus J.P. BiggsRyan CooperJinyu LiaoTeresa Anne FazioCarl Fredrik Oskar DahlbergJeffrey W. KysarShalom J. Wind
C12N 2533/30C12N 5/0663C12N 2535/00C12N 2535/10C12N 2537/10C12N 5/0068
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Claims

Abstract

An elastomeric substrate comprises a surface with regions of heterogeneous rigidity, wherein the regions are formed by exposing the elastomeric substrate to an energy source to form the regions such that the regions include a rigidity pattern comprising spots.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An elastomeric substrate comprising a surface with regions of heterogeneous rigidity, wherein the regions are formed by exposing the elastomeric substrate to an energy source to form the regions such that the regions include a rigidity pattern comprising spots. 
     
     
         2 . The elastomeric substrate of  claim 1 , wherein the regions provide for a differential functional response from cells cultured upon the rigidity pattern of the regions. 
     
     
         3 . The elastomeric substrate of  claim 2 , wherein the differential functional response comprises at least one of: differential focal adhesion of the cells; differential cell differentiation of the cells; differential immune response; or growth of the cells. 
     
     
         4 . The elastomeric substrate of  claim 2 , wherein the cells comprise at least one of stem cells, T-cells, cancer cells, nerve cells, osteoblasts, and muscle cells. 
     
     
         5 . The elastomeric substrate of  claim 2 , wherein at least some of the spots include a lateral dimension that is greater than or equal to 250 nanometers. 
     
     
         6 . The elastomeric substrate of  claim 2 , wherein at least some of the spots include a lateral dimension that is less than or equal to 250 nanometers. 
     
     
         7 . The elastomeric substrate of  claim 1 , wherein the energy source comprises at least one of a focused electron beam or deep ultraviolet light. 
     
     
         8 . The elastomeric substrate of  claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric substrate comprises poly(dimethylsiloxane) or a poly(dimethylsiloxane)-based polymer. 
     
     
         9 . The elastomeric substrate of  claim 1 , wherein the regions of heterogeneous rigidity are formed at at least one of a microscale or a nanoscale so that the spots comprise micrometer or submicrometer scale spots. 
     
     
         10 . A method of culturing cells, the method comprising culturing cells upon a surface of an elastomeric substrate, the surface comprising regions of heterogeneous rigidity, wherein the regions are formed by exposing the elastomeric substrate to an energy source to form the regions such that the regions include a rigidity pattern comprising spots. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the regions provide for differential functional response from cells cultured upon the rigidity pattern of the regions. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the differential functional response comprises at least one of: differential focal adhesion of the cells; differential cell differentiation of the cells; differential immune response; or differential growth of the cells. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the energy source comprises at least one of a focused electron beam or deep ultraviolet light. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the elastomeric substrate comprises poly(dimethylsiloxane) or a poly(dimethylsiloxane)-based polymer. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the regions of heterogeneous rigidity are formed at at least one of a microscale or a nanoscale so that the spots comprise micrometer or submicrometer scale spots. 
     
     
         16 . A method for fabricating a substrate, the method comprising:
 forming a substrate of an elastomer, the substrate having a surface; and   exposing selected regions of the surface to an energy source, the energy source configured to modify a rigidity of the selected regions.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the energy source comprises at least one of a focused electron beam or deep ultraviolet light. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the energy source initiates cross-inking of the elastomer in order to increase rigidity of the elastomer in the selected regions. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the elastomer comprises poly(dimethylsiloxane) or a poly(dimethylsiloxane)-based polymer. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the selected regions are at at least one of a microscale or a nanoscale. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein forming the substrate comprises forming the surface to have three-dimensional structures within the selected regions of the surface, and wherein exposing the selected regions to the energy source comprises locally modifying a rigidity of the three-dimensional structures.

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