Current Issues and Advances in Dissociated Cell Culturing on Nano-and Microfabricated Substrates

The future for microstructuring of surfaces for cell culture is expanding, and generating considerable cross-disciplinary collaborations between molecular biology labs, microfabrication centers, and materials science groups. Investigators have found that such technology has the potential to address many physiologically relevant questions. A major area of research in the coming years is controlled design of three-dimensional scaffolds for tissue engineering. Understanding the effects of cell shape and orientation on cell function aids in the advancement of tissue engineering and artificial organ research. Conventional scaffolds are fabricated using methods, such as emulsion freeze-drying processes, and although these scaffolds can be incorporated with proteins for sustained delivery during implantation, control of the porosity is rather difficult. Conventional scaffolds are fabricated using methods, such as emulsion freeze-drying processes, and although these scaffolds can be incorporated with proteins for sustained delivery during implantation, control of the porosity is rather difficult.