Simple and non-toxic fabrication of poly(vinyl alcohol)-patterned polymer surface for the formation of cell patterns

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Negative PVA patterns were formed on NPS substrates by selective ion irradiation. • The surface of PVA patterns was more hydrophilic than that of the NPS substrate. • Well-organized cell patterns were created on the PVA-patterned NPS substrates. • It can be due to the preferential adsorption of serum proteins on PVA patterns. - Abstract: In this study, a facile and non-toxic method for the formation of cell-adhesive poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) patterns on the surface of a non-biological polystyrene substrate (NPS) is developed to control cellular micro-organization. PVA thin films spin-coated onto the NPS are selectively irradiated with 150 keV H⁺ ions through a pattern mask and developed with deionized water to form negative-type PVA patterns. Well-defined stripe patterns of PVA with a width of 100 μm are created on the NPS at a higher fluence than 5 × 10¹⁵ ions/cm², and their surface chemical compositions are changed by ion irradiation without any significant morphological change. Based on the results of the protein adsorption test and in vitro cell culture, cancer cells are preferentially adhered and proliferated onto the more hydrophilic PVA regions of the PVA-patterned NPS, resulting in well-defined cell patterns