Interfacing cell surface receptors to hybrid nanopatterned surfaces: A molecular approach for dissecting the adhesion machinery

Abstract

Over the last 20 years, integrins have proven to be key players in connecting the internal cell machinery to the extracellular environment. Because the properties of the extracellular milieu strongly influence developmental programs triggered by integrin-mediated adhesion, the development of culture platforms with tunable chemical and physical properties is important for further understanding of the complexity of integrin functions. This chapter introduces biochemically modified gold surface models that have been designed to investigate cell adhesion. Specific emphasis is placed on micellar nanolithography, a technique enabling the preparation of gold nanopatterns. Such substrates are used as an analytical tool to control the activation of single-cell surface receptors for the study of integrin-mediated adhesion and signalling in a quantitative manner. © 2010 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.