Name: microcontact printing of proteins for cell biology
Uploaded: 2008-12-05T00:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Microcontact Printing of Proteins for Cell Biology at JoVE.com

1. Preparation of solutions and materials
These steps should be carried out several days in advance.
<ol>
	<li>Glass coverslips. Coverslips were cleaned by immersion for 10 minutes into a solution of Linbro 7X detergent : water, mixed at a 1 : 3 ratio and heated, with stirring, until clear. Coverslips were rinsed extensively with deionized water, and then baked at 450&#176;C for 6 hours. Loading coverslips into ceramic staining racks (see Reagents) simplified this process.</li>
	<li>Protein ...

<ol>
	<li>Chen, C. S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Geometric+control+of+cell+life+and+death.">Geometric control of cell life and death.</a> Science. 276, 1425-1425 (1997).</li><li>Kumar, A., Whitesides, G. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Features+of+Gold+Having+Micrometer+to+Centimeter+Dimensions+can+be+Formed+Through+a+Combination+of+Stamping+with+an+Elastomeric+Stamp+and+an+Alkanethiol+"Ink"+Followed+by+Chemical+Etching.">Features of Gold Having Micrometer to Centimeter Dimensions can be Formed Through a Combination of Stamping with an Elastomeric Stamp and an Alkanethiol "Ink" Followed by Chemical Etching.</a> Applied Physics Letters. 63, 4-4 (1993).</li><li>St. John, P. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Preferential+Glial+Cell+Attachment+to+Microcontact-printed+Surfaces.">Preferential Glial Cell Attachment to Microcontact-printed Surfaces.</a> Journal of Neuroscience Methods. 75, 171-171 (1997).</li><li>Kam, L., Boxer, S. G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Cell+adhesion+to+protein-micropatterned-supported+lipid+bilayer+membranes.">Cell adhesion to protein-micropatterned-supported lipid bilayer membranes.</a> Journal of Biomedical Materials Research. 55, 487-487 (2001).</li><li>Kung, L. A., Kam, L., Hovis, J. S., Boxer, S. G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Patterning+Hybrid+Surfaces+of+Proteins+and+Supported+Lipid+Bilayers.">Patterning Hybrid Surfaces of Proteins and Supported Lipid Bilayers.</a> Langmuir. 16, 6773-6773 (2000).</li><li>Shen, K., Thomas, V. K., Dustin, M. L., Kam, L. C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Micropatterning+of+costimulatory+ligands+enhances+CD4++T+cell+function.">Micropatterning of costimulatory ligands enhances CD4+ T cell function.</a> Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 105, 7791-7791 (2008).</li><li>Shi, P., Shen, K., Kam, L. C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Local+presentation+of+L1+and+N-cadherin+in+multicomponent,+microscale+patterns+differentially+direct+neuron+function+in+vitro.">Local presentation of L1 and N-cadherin in multicomponent, microscale patterns differentially direct neuron function in vitro.</a> Developmental Neurobiology. 67, 1765-1765 (2007).</li></ol>

The microcontact printing process is conceptually simple and very robust, having been applied to patterning a wide range of molecules on a variety of substrates. However, this process remains something of an art. The specific geometry of the pattern to be created, protein to be patterned, applied weight, and coating/stamping conditions all affect the stamping quality. For example, too little weight, applied to large features, often results in gaps in the pattern as can be seen in the upper right logo of Fig. 1A. Converse...

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		<div>
		<table border="1">
		<thead>
		<tr>
		<th>Material Name</th>
		<th>Type</th>
		<th>Company</th>
		<th>Catalogue Number</th>
		<th>Comment</th>
		</tr>
		</thead>
		<tbody>
		
<tr>
<td>Plasma Cleaner</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Harrick Scientific Products, Inc.</td>
<td>PDC-32G</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Desiccator</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Nalgene</td>
<td>5315-0150</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>PBS</td>
<td>Reagent</td>
<td>Invitrogen</td>
<td>10010-072</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Protein labeling kit</td>
<td>Reagent</td>
<td>Invitrogen</td>
<td>A30006</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Fibronectin </td>
<td>Reagent</td>
<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
<td>F2006</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Staining rack</td>
<td>Reagent</td>
<td>Thomas Scientific</td>
<td>8542E40</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Coverslips</td>
<td>Reagent</td>
<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
<td>12-544-12</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Sylgard 184</td>
<td>Reagent</td>
<td>Ellsworth Adhesives</td>
<td>184 Sil Elast Kit</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Diffraction Grating</td>
<td>Reagent</td>
<td>Edmund Scientific</td>
<td>3040267</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>		</tbody>
		</table>
		</div>

microcontact printing of proteins for cell biology

The ability to pattern proteins and other biomolecules onto substrates is important for capturing the spatial complexity of the extracellular environment. Development of microcontact printing by the Whitesides group (<a href="http://gmwgroup.harvard.edu/">http://gmwgroup.harvard.edu/</a>) in the mid-1990s revolutionalized this field by making microelectronics/microfabrication techniques accessible to laboratories focused on the life sciences. Initial implementations of this method used polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) stamps to create patterns of functionalized chemicals on material surfaces1. Since then, a range of innovative approaches have been developed to pattern other molecules, including proteins2. This video demonstrates the basic process of creating PDMS stamps and uses them to pattern proteins, as these steps are difficult to accurately express in words. We focus on patterning the extracellular matrix protein fibronectin onto glass coverslips as a specific example of patterning.
An important component of the microcontact printing process is a topological master, from which the stamps are cast; the raised and lowered regions of the master are mirrored into the stamp and define the final pattern. Typically, a master consists of a silicon wafer coated with photoresist and then patterned by photolithography, as is done here. Creation of masters containing a specific pattern requires specialized equipment, and is best approached in consultation with a fabrication center or facility. However, almost any substrate with topology can be used as a master, such as plastic diffraction gratings (see Reagents for one example), and such serendipitous masters provide readily available, simple patterns. This protocol begins at the point of having a master in hand.

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Microcontact Printing of Proteins for Cell Biology at JoVE.com

Microcontact Printing of Proteins for Cell Biology

Microcontact printing is used extensively to pattern proteins and other molecules on material surfaces. We demonstrate the basic steps of this process, stamping patterns of fibronectin onto glass.

The ability to pattern proteins and other biomolecules onto substrates is important for capturing the spatial complexity of the extracellular environment. ...

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