Size-Tunable Organic Nanodot Arrays: A Versatile Platform for Manipulating and Imaging Cells.

Pi, Fuwei; Dillard, Pierre; Alameddine, Ranime; Benard, Emmanuelle; Wahl, Astrid; Ozerov, Igor; Charrier, Anne; Limozin, Laurent et al. · Nano Lett · 2015

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

Arrays of protein nanodots with dot-size tuned independently of spacing (e.g., ∼100 to 600 nm diameter for 900 nm spacing) are fabricated. The mechanism of size control is demonstrated, by numerical simulations, to arise from shadow effects during deposition of a sacrificial metal mask. We functionalize the nanodots with antibodies and embed them in a polymer-cushion or in lipid-bilayers or transfer them to soft elastomers. Their ability to influence cell architecture and local membrane organization is demonstrated in T-lymphocytes, using reflection interference contrast and total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy.