Nanostructured substrates for cell assays.

描述（由申请人提供）：本阶段I SBIR的长期目标是开发优化的组件（纳米结构基底），用于创建一类新型的快速、基于液晶的细胞计数、增殖和功能测定。需要劳动强度较低、消耗较少的细胞和试剂、可以在较少的时间内进行、允许将趋化性与趋化作用分离、对浓度梯度递送的空间和时间方面提供更好的控制并且适合于高通量形式的新技术。鸭嘴兽技术（商标）可以为基础，这样的分析，以加速基础细胞研究，药物发现，并评估抗癌药物。纳米结构基板与液晶的组合不需要标签或额外的试剂来报告细胞的存在。它将为许多不同的细胞测定提供统一的平台。在本计画中，我们将以奈米尺度的成型、高分子材料的研磨以及金薄膜的倾斜沉积三种方法来制作奈米尺度的基底。我们将比较评估这些基板的能力：在细胞培养基中蛋白质非特异性吸附的情况下排列液晶，支持上皮细胞、成纤维细胞和血管内皮细胞的细胞功能，报告细胞数量，并在6个月的储存期内保持功能稳定性。在这些研究完成后，我们将优化用于细胞计数和功能评估的新技术的核心组件。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The long-term goal of this Phase I SBIR is to develop optimized components (nanostructured substrates) for use in the creation of a novel class of rapid, liquid crystal based cellular assays of enumeration, proliferation and function. There is a need for new technologies that are less labor intensive, consume fewer cells and reagents, can be performed in less time, allow for separation of chemotaxis from chemokinesis, provide better control over spatial and temporal aspects of the delivery of concentration gradients and are amenable to high throughput formats. Platypus Technology (tm) can be the foundation for such assays to accelerate basic cell research, drug discovery, and evaluation of anti-cancer drugs. The combination of nanostructured substrates with liquid crystals requires no labels or additional reagents to report the presence of cells. It will provide a unified platform for many diverse cellular assays. In this proposal, we will fabricate substrates with nanoscale topography by three methods: nanoscale molding, abrasion of polymeric materials and oblique deposition of thin films of gold. We will comparatively evaluate the ability of these substrates to: align liquid crystals in the presence of non-specific adsorption of proteins in cell media, support cell functions of epithelial, fibroblast and vascular endothelial cells, report cell numbers, and retain functional stability during a six-month storage period. At the completion of these studies we will have optimized the core component of a new technology for enumeration and functional evaluation of cells.