Protein functionalized micro hydrogel features for cell-surface interaction.

Cross-linked hydrogel features have been patterned using subtractive lift-off of polymerized hydrogel film. Projection lithography and oxygen plasma etch was used to pattern parylene C polymer film. Molecular self-assembly of polymerizable monolayer was obtained in solution-phase and acrylamide based hydrogel was polymerized using free-radical polymerization on this substrate. Parylene C film was mechanically lifted-off to remove the blanket hydrogel film and micro hydrogel features (muhf) were obtained attached to the predefined patterns in the range from 1 to 60 mum. The muhf were functionalized with aldehyde functional groups, and proteins were coupled to them using Schiff base chemistry followed by reductive amination. Interaction of mesenchymal stem cells with transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta1) functionalized muhf was studied, and TGF-beta1 was found to retain its tumor suppression activity.