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. 2019 Jan 17:6:667.
doi: 10.3389/fchem.2018.00667. eCollection 2018.

Micro-Patterning of PEG-Based Hydrogels With Gold Nanoparticles Using a Reactive Micro-Contact-Printing Approach

Cigdem Yesildag  1 , Zhaofei Ouyang  1 , Zhenfang Zhang  1 , Marga C Lensen  1
Affiliations

Micro-Patterning of PEG-Based Hydrogels With Gold Nanoparticles Using a Reactive Micro-Contact-Printing Approach

Cigdem Yesildag et al. Front Chem. .

Abstract

In this work a novel, relatively simple, and fast method for patterning of gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) on poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-based hydrogels is presented. In the hereby exploited reactive micro-contact printing (reactive-μ-CP) process, the surface of a micro-relief patterned PDMS-stamp is first functionalized with an amino-silane self-assembled monolayer (SAM), which is then inked with Au NPs. The stamp is subsequently brought into conformal contact with thiol-functionalized PEG-based hydrogel films. Due to the strong gold-thiol interactions the Au NPs are adequately and easily transferred onto the surfaces of these soft, multifunctional PEG hydrogels. In this way, defined μ-patterns of Au NPs on PEG hydrogels are achieved. These Au NPs patterns allow specific biomolecular interactions on PEG surfaces, and cell adhesion has been studied. Cells were found to effectively adhere only on Au NPs micro-patterns and to avoid the anti-adhesive PEG background. Besides the cell adhesion studies, these Au NPs μ-patterns can be potentially applied as biosensors in plasmon-based spectroscopic devices or in medicine, e.g., for drug delivery systems or photothermal therapies.

Keywords: Au NPs; PEG hydrogel; cell adhension; micropatteming; multifunctional.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Schematic representation of PEG-based hydrogels prepared through amine-Michael type addition and modification via sulfur-Michael type addition. 8PEGacr (A) or 8PEGvs (B) based hydrogels prepared via amine-Michael type addition. (C) The preparation of both 8PEG-olefin and 8PEG-SH hydrogels. 8PEG, 8PEG-acr (A), or 8PEG-vs. (B), macromonomers could react with ammonia via amine-Michael type addition to create 8PEG-olefin hydrogels, which could be modified via sulfur-Michael type addition to generate 8PEG-SH hydrogels (Ouyang, 2018).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Structure of a silicon master.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Schematic view of PDMS-Stamp preparation on perfluoro-silanized silicon wafers.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Schematic view of amino-silanization of PDMS-stamps and coating with Au NPs.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Schematic view of reactive micro-contact printing (r-μCP) process of Au NPs on PEG hydrogels.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Reactive micro-contact printing (r-μCP) on Non-functional vs. SH-functional PEG.
Figure 7
Figure 7
SEM images of amino-silanized PDMS-stamp (used master sizes was [20–10–5 μm]) inked with Au NPs: (A) overview of the stamp surface; (B) enlarged view of the topographical line; (C) enlarged view of the groove; (D) Au NPs distribution on the stamp surface. Scale bars: (A) 50 μm; (B) 10 μm; (C) 3 μm; (D) 200 nm.
Figure 8
Figure 8
(A,B) Optical micrograph of Au NPs on PEG-hydrogel fabricated by the reactive μ-CP process. Scale bars: (A,B) 50 μm.
Figure 9
Figure 9
AFM height image and cross section profile of: (A) Au NPs on silicon wafer; (B) Au NPs pattern on PEG hydrogel; used stamp size [15-50-15].
Figure 10
Figure 10
(A,B) SEM images of cell adhesion on mico-patterned Au NPs lines on PEG-hydrogel. Scale bars: (A) 300 μm; (B) 100 μm.
Figure 11
Figure 11
(A–C) SEM images of cell adhesion on Au NPs micro-patterns exhibiting line-bridging cells. Scale bars: (A) 50 μm; (B) 50 μm; (C) 10 μm.
Figure 12
Figure 12
(A–C) SEM images of a stretched cell on the Au NPs micro-pattern. Scale bars: (A) 20 μm; (B) 2 μm; (C) 2 μm.
Figure 13
Figure 13
Optical micrographs of cell adhesion on Au NPs patterned 8PEG hydrogel : (A) directly after seeding (0 min); (B) after 24 h, and (C) after 48h of cell culture.
Figure 14
Figure 14
Live/dead assay on Au NPs decorated 8PEG hydrogel surface.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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