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.