Mechanistic understanding of the interaction of cells with nanostructured surfaces within the framework of biological functions

ABSTRACT The interaction of nanostructured surfaces with cells is complex and has a profound impact on the behaviour of cells by influencing their adhesion, migration, proliferation, and differentiation. Our studies highlighted the contrasting effects of nanostructured and microstructured surfaces on biological functions. Such contrasting effects include the relative influence of physical and chemical attributes of the nanoscale surface compared to the microscale counterpart. These attributes lead to an altered cellular activity at the bio-nano interface through modulating cell adhesion, proliferation of cells and synthesis of functional proteins. Physical and chemical changes induced by the nanostructure are likely to promote cell adhesion, without introducing chemical functionalities on the surface. This represents a significant advance beyond guiding the tailoring of cellular functionality at the bio-nano surface. This would yield an improved understanding of a rational design of biotic/abiotic interfaces that can promote optimal biological responses, leading to the development of new biomedical technologies.