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The development of methods to pattern surfaces into regions that alternatively promote and prevent cell adhesion allows the shapes, sizes and positions of cells to be controlled and has been a widely recognized success in surface chemistry. The use of microcontact printing offers a flexible and readily implemented method for patterning monolayers at the micron scale.29, 38, 45 We have extended patterning methods by collaborating with Professor Chad Mirkin to develop direct-write methods for patterning monolayers with 100 nanometer feature sizes, a size range that allows direct control of focal adhesions in cells.65, 74 We have also developed a photochemical method that can pattern multiple ligands with control over the densities of the ligands and preparation of gradients.86
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