Investigation of osteoblast cells behavior in polymeric 3D micropatterned scaffolds using digital holographic microscopy

The effect of micropatterned polymeric scaffolds on the features of the cultured cells at different time intervals after seeding was investigated by digital holographic microscopy. Both parallel and perpendicular walls, with different heights, were fabricated using two-photon lithography on photopolymers. The walls were subsequently coated with polypyrrole-based thin films using the matrix assisted pulsed laser evaporation technique. Osteoblast-like cells, MG-63 line, were cultured on these polymeric 3D micropatterned scaffolds. To analyze these scaffolds with/without cultured cells, an inverted digital holographic microscope, which provides 3D images, was used. Information about the samples' refractive indices and heights was obtained from the phase shift introduced in the optical path. Characteristics of cell adhesion, alignment, orientation, and morphology as a function of the wall heights and time from seeding were highlighted.