Design of Microscopy-based Microcontact Printing Stamp and Alignment Device for Patterned Neuronal Growth

To culture neuronal cells grown in a geometric pattern on a modified substrate plate is essential to understand the neuronal cell behavior. Recent studies have made it possible to control neuronal cell positioning as well as outgrowth by using the microcontact printing technique. The aim of this study was to design an inexpensive microscopy-based microcontact printing device for aligning the pattern to the substrate for guiding neuronal growth. In the study, the microfabrication of the microcontact printing stamp was used to define the cytophilic region by transferring poly-D-lysine (PDL), cell adhesion substrate, to glass or photosensitive polyimide. The cytophobic region was then developed by immersing the printed PDL substrate in bovine serum albumin (BSA). Our study examines the concentrations of PDL to form cytophilic region and provides a microcontacting scheme to produce a reliable structural pattern on the substrate.