Nanoprinting Onto Cells

Main Category: Bio-terrorism / Terrorism
Article Date: 03 Dec 2005 - 5:00 PDT

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Biological cells in tissue can react to the substratum nanotopography on which they are growing. These reactions may be of importance in the design of better metallic and polymer prostheses, eg. for hip replacement. In these examples a cell, perhaps 1/1000 cm long senses detail around it 100 to 300 times smaller.

We have investigated this reaction. We find that the cell adopts the shape of the substratum so that the very fine detail is embossed onto it.

The embossed surface details are signalled to the internal organisation of the cell-perhaps this is a new mode of signalling.

by Professor SG Curtis, Dr M Dalby and Dr N Gadegaard

Tim Watson
tim.watson@royalsoc.ac.uk
Royal Society
http://www.royalsoc.ac.uk

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