Characterizing dynamic immune cell activity after stimulation on nanofabricated biomaterial patterns

Nanofabricated biomaterial microdomains were patterned on planar silicon substrates creating in vitro systems to characterize the complex interactions between cell surface receptors and submicron targets. The model experimental setup consisted of T cells, B cells, and macrophages incubated on patterned bacteria and mitogen. The technique offered a means to characterize cellular interactions occurring at the submicron resolution after stimulation with microstimuli. Epifluorescence and SEM imaging permitted detailed views of the cellular activity on patterns where the antigenic concentration, feature size, and media volume were comparable to a physiological microenvironment.