ABSTRACT
The main purpose of the present study was to investigate the cell behaviors of rat primary osteoblast cells on extracellular matrix (ECM) protein micropatterns. For this purpose, a series of fibronectin micropatterns with different shapes and varying dimensions were created on polystyrene (PS) surfaces by microcontact printing. The results of confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) images indicated that excellent micropatterns were successfully obtained. These protein patterns were stable during the cell culture. The cell experiments suggested that the osteoblast cells preferentially attached onto protein-functionalized areas and displayed different cell shape and spreading behavior on different protein micropatterns. The protein micropatterns can significantly influence the cell adhesion, spreading, alignment and orientation and so on. Therefore, this work can be used to modify biomaterial surfaces, especially that of bone-implant biomaterials, to effectively control cell behavior. It further contributes to clarify the interfacial biological behaviors between biomaterials and osteoblast and can provide the cues for development of bone implantable materials which is able to modulate osteoblast cell growth behavior.