Piezoelectric inkjet printing of polymers: Stem cell patterning on polymer substrates

Generating patterns of cells on surfaces is of great significance not only for fundamental studies in biomedical science but also for the creation of functional customized tissue or organs in regenerative medicine. In this paper, arbitrary, complex stem cell patterns were created using piezoelectric inkjet printing of biocompatible polymers. After a systematic study with different inkjet process variables, various poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) patterns were fabricated on a polystyrene (PS) substrate. Human adipose-derived stem cells (hASCs) were isolated from subcutaneous adipose tissue and were seeded on the PLGA-patterned PS substrate which consists of areas either favorable (PLGA) or unfavorable (bare PS) to cell adhesion. The hASC stably attached, proliferated within the PLGA patterns, thus, complex and confluent hASC patterns were created. Polymer micro-patterning by inkjet printing could be an effective technique to control cell adhesion geometry, leading to arbitrary cell patterning on surfaces.