Patterning surface by site selective capture of biopolymer hydrogel beads

This communication describes the fabrication of microstructured biopolymer surfaces by the site-selective capture of pectin hydrogel beads. A positively charged surface consisting of poly-l-lysine (PLL) was subjected to site-selective enzymatic degradation using patterned polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) stamps covalently modified with trypsin, according to the recently described method [1]. The patterned surface was used to capture ionically cross-linked pectin beads. The desired patterning of the hydrogel surfaces was generated by site-selective immobilization of these pectin beads. The ability of the hydrogels to be dried and swollen in water was assessed.

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► We describe the fabrication of microstructured surfaces by the site-selective capture of hydrogel beads.
► A surface of poly-l-lysine (PLL) was patterned to site-selective enzymatic degradation.
► The patterned surface was used to capture ionically cross-linked pectin beads.
► The ability of the hydrogels to be dried and swollen in water was assessed.