Single Stem Cell Positioning on Polylysine and Fibronectin Microarrays

Arrays of human umbilical cord blood-neural stem cells have been patterned in high density at single cell resolution. Pre-patterns of adhesive molecules, i.e. fibronectin and poly-L-lysine, have been produced on anti-adhesive poly (ethylene) oxide films deposited by plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition, which prevents cell adsorption. The structures consisted of adhesive squares and lines with 10μm lateral dimensions, which correspond approximately to the size of one cell nucleus, separated by 10μm anti-adhesive gap. The stem cells cultured on these platforms redistribute their cytoplasm on the permitted areas. Spherical cells were deposited on the square patterns in a single cell mode, while on the lines they spread longitudinally; the extent of elongation being dependent on the specific (fibronectin) or non-specific (poly-L-lysine) attachment biomolecule. The cell patterns were retained up to 12 days, which will be useful for recording statistical data of individual chronic responses to chemical, physical or physiologically relevant stimuli.