Micropatterned geometry shape oligodendrocyte and microglia plasticity

Cellular adhesion is essential in maintaining multicellular structure by connecting cells to each other in vivo
and to a biomimetic substrate in vitro. In this context, one of the first steps toward the comprehension, for
instance, of oligodendrocyte and microglia adhesion and migrating behavior consists in discriminating the
different morphological features that can be acquired when cells are cultured on diverse surface topographies
that mimic an in vivo three-dimensional environment. With this in mind, in this chapter, we describe
how to exploit the silicon isotropic topography consisting of line-grating geometries and micropillar structures
fabricated on polydimethylsiloxane by soft lithography. By reproducing a specialized niche for the
cells, micropatterned biomimetic substrates can help to understand the role of structural determinants in
priming morphogenesis of oligodendrocytes and microglia and can be exploited for translational research
on functional tissue engineering and implantable device design.