COPOLYMER-MEDIATED FABRICATION OF VERSATILE ELECTRO-ACTIVE AND INFLAMMATION ATTENUATING SUBSTRATES FOR BIOLOGICAL INTERROGATION

Abstract

Serving as platforms for both cellular interrogation as well as biomembrane mimicry, biotic–abiotic functionalized materials, such as block copolymeric membranes, offer the opportunity for tailored biology, where specific embedded functionalities can be rapidly engineered, on demand, without the need for genetic processing. These versatile materials enable rapid, thin film deposition of a plethora of biologically-relevant materials at the air–water interface given their amphiphilic properties, meaning that they possess alternating hydrophilic and hydrophobic components. This property confers to these materials the ability to be transferred to a wide range of substrates and materials, further enhancing their interfacial versatility. In addition, their biologically-inert, and tunable, thickness-dependent insulating properties serve as ideal bio-active substrates while maintaining the functionality of the integrated molecule (e.g., protein, effector molecule, etc.). Here, we report the application of a polyethyleneoxide–polymethylmethacrylate (PEO–PMMA) diblock and polymethyloxazoline–polydimethylsiloxane–polymethyloxazoline (PMOXA–PDMS–PMOXA) triblock copolymers as molecular anchors for tethering a broad spectrum of materials. These include carbon nanotubes for the fabrication of bioelectrodes to measure cytochrome c-mediated oxidation-reduction, as well as the anti-inflammatory molecule, dexamethasone, for the suppression of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation in murine macrophages. As such, this work demonstrates the versatility, and broad applicability and impact of this platform approach towards the fabrication of multifunctional arrays of biologically-active surfaces for experimentation ranging from bio-electroactivity to studies of cellular immunity.