Interactions of cells with nanotopography

During the last 30 years, the semiconductor industry has had a significant influence on our society through advances in computers, communications, energy, and transportation. Semiconductor technology exploded following the development of exquisitely precise and versatile miniaturisation techniques that allowed features on computer chips to be reduced to submicron dimensions. In addition, microfabrication tools developed for the microelectronics industry have also entered the basic science arena and are beginning to serve as a driving force for discovery in cell biology, and tissue engineering in the utilisation of this technology for fabricating precisely defined cell devices. Recent advances in semiconductor technology have enabled scientists to fabricate devices in the nanometer range. In this thesis electron beam lithography was employed to fabricate nanometric pillars in quartz, which were then reversed embossed into a range of biocompatible polymers generating a relief pattern of nanopits. The effects of this type of topography on cell behaviour was then investigated using a combination of light, fluorescence, video scanning electron and atomic force microscopies. The results of using this type of topography revealed a marked decrease in cell adhesion, this was due to the super-hydrophobicity generated by fabricating ordered nanotopography. This reduction in cell adhesion had subsequent effects on cell behaviour, namely increased motility, a reduction in cell and focal adhesion size coupled with a disruption in cytoskeletal development. The work carried out in this thesis have possible implications for the future design of biomaterial implant surfaces as well as possible uses in the design of future in-vitro tissue engineering devices where the lack of cell adhesion in specific regions is a desirable outcome