Manufacturing and replication of cell aligning micro structures

C. Brecher (a),(b), R. Klar (b), F. Pretzsch (b), C. Wenzel (b)

(a) Werkzeugmaschinenlabor (WZL), RWTH Aachen University, Germany
(b) Fraunhofer-Institute for Production Technology Aachen, Germany

Abstract

Biotechnology is becoming more and more important and is influencing our everyday life. One of the most important advantages will become the manufacturing of mass customized cells also known as tissue engineering. To optimize and shorten the cell growth, micro structures have shown an important impact on the cell division, alignment and cell differentiation. This paper deals with the manufacturing of micro structured moulds by diamond machining and the successive replication process to create bio functional surfaces provided with micro structures. While the fabrication of micro structures by diamond machining is an expensive and long lasting process the replication of bio functional surfaces by hot embossing allows the cost efficient production of these surfaces. Compared to lithography processes, diamond machining is very flexible and offers next to 2D or 2 1/2D geometries real 3D forms to copy invivo conditions for in-vitro cell replication processes. One of the main advantages of diamond machining is the flexibility to diversify the shape of micro structures rapidly to investigate the cell - substrate - interaction down to the micrometer range.