A micropatterned hydrogel platform for chemical synthesis and biological analysis

The capillary-force lithography, UV patterning, and micro-spotting were used for the fabrication of patterned poly(ethylene glycol)-polyacrylamide (PEGA) microstructures on glass surfaces. These PEGA biochips are compatible with solid-phase chemistry conditions, as was demonstrated by the stepwise synthesis of a number of peptides directly onto the hydrogel material. PEGA biochips could be used to prevent non-specific cell adhesion to confine fibroblast cells to certain predetermined areas. PEGA biochips could also be used for a simple proteomics assay, where the catalytic selectivity of a protease was tested on PEGA films that were functionalized with enzyme-cleavable peptides.