Nanostructured substrates for cell assays

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The long-term goal of this Phase I SBIR is to develop optimized components (nanostructured substrates) for use in the creation of a novel class of rapid, liquid crystal based cellular assays of enumeration, proliferation and function. There is a need for new technologies that are less labor intensive, consume fewer cells and reagents, can be performed in less time, allow for separation of chemotaxis from chemokinesis, provide better control over spatial and temporal aspects of the delivery of concentration gradients and are amenable to high throughput formats. Platypus Technology (tm) can be the foundation for such assays to accelerate basic cell research, drug discovery, and evaluation of anti-cancer drugs. The combination of nanostructured substrates with liquid crystals requires no labels or additional reagents to report the presence of cells. It will provide a unified platform for many diverse cellular assays. In this proposal, we will fabricate substrates with nanoscale topography by three methods: nanoscale molding, abrasion of polymeric materials and oblique deposition of thin films of gold. We will comparatively evaluate the ability of these substrates to: align liquid crystals in the presence of non-specific adsorption of proteins in cell media, support cell functions of epithelial, fibroblast and vascular endothelial cells, report cell numbers, and retain functional stability during a six-month storage period. At the completion of these studies we will have optimized the core component of a new technology for enumeration and functional evaluation of cells.