Multiscale fabrication of functional materials for life sciences

Bianchi, Michele (2011) Multiscale fabrication of functional materials for life sciences, [Dissertation thesis], Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna. Dottorato di ricerca in Scienze chimiche, 23 Ciclo. DOI 10.6092/unibo/amsdottorato/3739.
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Abstract

Regenerative medicine claims for a better understanding of the cause-effect relation between cell behaviour and environment signals. The latter encompasses topographical, chemical and mechanical stimuli, electromagnetic fields, gradients of chemo-attractants and haptotaxis. In this perspective, a spatial control of the structures composing the environment is required. In this thesis I describe a novel approach for the multiscale patterning of biocompatible functional materials in order to provide systems able to accurately control cell adhesion and proliferation. The behaviour of different neural cell lines in response to several stimuli, specifically chemical, topographical and electrical gradients is presented. For each of the three kind of signals, I chose properly tailored materials and fabrication and characterization techniques. After a brief introduction on the state of art of nanotechnology, nanofabrication techniques and regenerative medicine in Chapter 1 and a detailed description of the main fabrication and characterization techniques employed in this work in Chapter 2, in Chapter 3 an easy route to obtain accurate control over cell proliferation close to 100% is described (chemical control). In Chapter 4 (topographical control) it is shown how the multiscale patterning of a well-established biocompatible material as titanium dioxide provides a versatile and robust method to study the effect of local topography on cell adhesion and growth. The third signal, viz. electric field, is investigated in Chapter 5 (electrical control), where the very early stages of neural cell adhesion are studied in the presence of modest steady electric fields. In Chapter 6 (appendix) a new patterning technique, called Lithographically Controlled Etching (LCE), is proposed. It is shown how LCE can provide at the same time the micro/nanostructuring and functionalization of a surface with nanosized objects, thus being suitable for applications both in regenerative medicine in biosensing.

Abstract
Tipologia del documento
Tesi di dottorato
Autore
Bianchi, Michele
Supervisore
Co-supervisore
Dottorato di ricerca
Scuola di dottorato
Scienze chimiche
Ciclo
23
Coordinatore
Settore disciplinare
Settore concorsuale
Parole chiave
regenerative medicine neural cell soft-lithography cell guidance
URN:NBN
DOI
10.6092/unibo/amsdottorato/3739
Data di discussione
19 Aprile 2011
URI

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