SiO2-Decorated Parylene C Micropillars Designed to Probe Cellular Force

FOHLEROVÁ, Zdenka, Imrich GABLECH, Alexandr OTAHAL and Peter FECKO. SiO2-Decorated Parylene C Micropillars Designed to Probe Cellular Force. ADVANCED MATERIALS INTERFACES. HOBOKEN: WILEY, 2021, vol. 8, No 6, p. 1-8. ISSN 2196-7350. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/admi.202001897.

Basic information

• Original name: SiO2-Decorated Parylene C Micropillars Designed to Probe Cellular Force
• Authors: FOHLEROVÁ, Zdenka (203 Czech Republic, guarantor, belonging to the institution), Imrich GABLECH (203 Czech Republic), Alexandr OTAHAL (203 Czech Republic) and Peter FECKO (703 Slovakia).
• Edition: ADVANCED MATERIALS INTERFACES, HOBOKEN, WILEY, 2021, 2196-7350.

Other information

• Original language: English
• Type of outcome: Article in a journal
• Field of Study: 10404 Polymer science
• Country of publisher: United States of America
• Confidentiality degree: is not subject to a state or trade secret
• WWW: URL
• Impact factor: Impact factor: 6.389
• RIV identification code: RIV/00216224:14110/21:00121732
• Organization unit: Faculty of Medicine
• Doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/admi.202001897
• UT WoS: 000611098000001
• Keywords in English: cellular force; mechanobiology; micropillars; parylene C; silanization; silicon dioxide
• Tags: 14110512, rivok
• Tags: International impact, Reviewed

Abstract

Living cells sense and respond to mechanical signals through specific mechanisms generating traction force. The quantification of cell forces using micropillars can be limited by micropillar stiffness, technological aspects of fabrications, and microcontact printing of proteins. This paper develops the new design of SiO2/Parylene C micropillars with an aspect ratio of 6 and 3.5 and spring constant of 4.7 and 28 mu N mu m(-1), respectively. The upper part of micropillars is coated with a 250 nm layer of SiO2, and results confirm protein deposition on individual micropillars via SiO2 interface and non-adhesiveness on the micropillars' sidewalls. Results show an absence of cytotoxicity for micropillar-based substrates and a dependence on its stiffness. Stiffer micropillars enhance cell adhesion and proliferation rate, and a stronger cellular force of approximate to 25 mu N is obtained. The main contribution of SiO2/parylene C micropillars is the elimination of the step involving the fabrication of polydimethylsiloxane stamp because the array enables covalent binding of proteins via SiO2 chemistry. These micropillars stand on Si wafer and thus, any warping of underlying polymer membrane does not have to be considered. Additionally, SiO2/parylene C micropillars can broaden the range of stiffer substrates to be probed by cells.