AVS2001 Session BI+MM-TuM: Biomems & Microdevices

Tuesday, October 30, 2001 8:20 AM in Room 102

Tuesday Morning

Start	Invited?	Item
8:20 AM	Invited	BI+MM-TuM-1 Amplification of Biomolecular Interactions into Optical Signals using Liquid Crystals on Nanostructured Surfaces N.L. Abbott, J. Brake (University of Wisconsin) Anisotropic interactions between thermotropic liquid crystals and surfaces typically cause liquid crystals to be "anchored" in one or more orientations near surfaces. In this talk, we report the use of surface anchoring phenomena involving liquid crystals for the imaging of biomolecular recognition events on surfaces. The approach is based on the observation that anisotropic forces acting between a liquid crystal and an appropriately designed surface can be perturbed by the formation of biological complex es on the surface. The change in structure of the liquid crystal near the surface is communicated deep into the bulk liquid crystal because the orientational correlation lengths of liquid crystals are typically large (micrometers). We report the design o f surfaces with nanometer-scale topography and patterned surface chemistry such that protein molecules, upon binding to ligands hosted on these surfaces, trigger changes in the orientations of 1-20 micrometer-thick films of supported liquid crystals, thu s corresponding to a reorientation of ~100,000-1,000,000 mesogens per protein. Binding-induced changes in the intensity of light transmitted through the liquid crystal are easily seen with the naked eye and can be further amplified by using surfaces desig n ed so t hat protein-ligand recognition causes twisted nematic liquid crystals to untwist. We also use the average gray-scale brightness of the optical appearance of the supported liquid crystal to construct an optical response curve as a function of the amount of bound protein. This approach to detection of ligand-receptor binding does not require labeling of the analyte, does not require the use of a complex apparatus, provides a spatial resolution of micrometers, and is sufficiently simple that it may find use in rapid, direct-read assays performed away from centralized laboratories.
9:00 AM		BI+MM-TuM-3 Micropatterns of Biomolecules on Silicon Hydride Surfaces J. Pipper, U. Fritz, R. Dahint, M. Grunze (University of Heidelberg, Germany) Biochips yield a high potential for technological progress in the fields of diagnostics, drug discovery and nanotechnology. They are usually fabricated by photo- and softlithographic methods, various printing techniques or the use of micro electrodes. Common substrate materials are glass-, silicon oxide- and gold surfaces. A powerful alternative to these approaches is the photochemically initiated attachment of terminally functionalized 1-alkenes onto silicon hydride surfaces accompanied by Si-C single bond formation. Although the high potential use of silicon microstructures for biosensing applications has been postulated for years, it has not been exploited yet due to a lack of functional groups suitable for the coupling of biological species. Problems in surface derivatization occur as a result of unwanted parallel chemical reactions and a possible fragmentation of the organic compounds during illumination. This dilemma has now been overcome by temporarily masking the chemical functionalities with non-photolabile protective groups. The paper reports on the spatially resolved, photochemical modification of planar and porous silicon hydride surfaces for the immobilization of DNA, proteins and cells. In combination with photoactive compounds, the method of light induced surface derivatization can also be transferred to organic materials.
9:40 AM		BI+MM-TuM-5 Nano-Scale Effects on the Interfacial Fluidity of Organic Films R.C. Bell, M.J. Iedema, K. Wu, J.P. Cowin (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) Interfaces cause fluids in nano-scale spaces to behave very differently than in bulk. We are able to spatially resolve this fluidity with 0.1 nm resolution and show how nanometer films of glassy 3-methylpentane (3MP) are much less viscous at the vacuum-in terface than at the 3MP-metal interface using ion mobility to probe the spatially varying flow properties. The amorphous 3MP films are constructed using molecular beam epitaxy on a Pt(111) substrate at low temperatures (<30 K). A 1 eV hydronium (D₃O ⁺) ion beam gently deposits ions on or into the films (the latter by depositing more 3MP on top of the ions). The ion motion is monitored electrostatically as the film is heated at a rate of 0.2 K/s above the bulk glass transition temperature of 3 MP (77 K). However, the ions begin to move at temperatures as low as 40 K near the vacuum interface, well below the bulk glass transition temperature. The viscosity near the vacuum-interface at 80 K is found to be 12 orders of magnitude lower than that ex pected of a bulk film. Furthermore, the fluidity perturbations were found to persist over 2.5 nm, which was determined by precisely placing the ions at increasing distances from the interfaces and monitoring the effect on the ion's mobility. Computer modeling is employed to further extract information about the nature of these films.
10:00 AM	Invited	BI+MM-TuM-6 Interfacial BioMEMS: Bridging the Micro to the Macro T. Desai (University of Illinois at Chicago) A great deal of consideration has been given in recent years to the biological uses of micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS). However, such devices are not yet found in many clinical settings due to lack of appropriate interfacing between these devices and the biological world. This talk will describe approaches to engineer interfaces that enhance the biocompatibility and functionality of implantable MEMS based devices. First, the surface modification of silicon-based devices on the nanometer and micron scale to ensure device functionality and integration will be described. Such chemical modifications must be incorporated onto silicon substrates to modulate the interfacial response, while at the same time ensuring compatibility with microfabrication and micromachining processing. Secondly, microfabrication techniques that can be used to selectively attach and spatially localize chemical species in order to control interfacial reactions with the body will be discussed. By integrating surface modification protocols with MEMS processing, one can create device surfaces that interact appropriately with multiple populations of cells and the surrounding tissue. The identification of principles for engineering microdevice surfaces will aid in developing therapeutic bioMEMS, lab on a chip platforms, and drug delivery systems that can more effectively interface with the biological world.
10:40 AM		BI+MM-TuM-8 Dynamics of Biomolecular Recognition on Calibrated Beads in Microfluidic Channels G.P. Lopez, T. Buranda, J. Huang (The University of New Mexico); V.H. Perez-Luna (Illinois Institute of Technology); L.S. Sklar (The University of New Mexico) We have developed a new approach for the analysis of biomolecular recognition in microfluidic systems. The method is based on real-time detection of biomolecular binding to receptor-bearing microspheres comprising affinity microcolumns. The microcolumn format ensures efficient analyte contact with receptors and rapid mixing. Molecular assemblies on microspheres can be characterized and calibrated using flow cytometric techniques prior to packing. Model assays demonstrated include direct fluorescence methods of quantitatively detecting recognition of model analytes by protein receptors and ligands displayed in well-characterized affinity matrices. We establish a model system for detection of recognition between a monoclonal antibody and the FLAG^TM epitope tag. The assay can detect sub-femtomole quantities of antibody with good signal-to-noise ratio and a large dynamic range spanning nearly four orders of magnitude in analyte concentration. Kinetic and equilibrium constants for the reaction of this receptor-ligand pair are obtained through modeling of kinetic responses of the microcolumn and are consistent with those obtained by flow cytometry. Because of the correlation between kinetic and equilibrium data obtained for the microcolumns, quantitative analysis can be done in minutes, prior to the steady state endpoint of the recognition reaction. The approach has the potential to be generalized to a host of bioaffinity assay methods including analysis of small molecule analytes, protein and nucleic acid complexes, and microsystem-based multi-analyte determinations.
11:00 AM		BI+MM-TuM-9 Microfluidic Patterning of Biopolymer Matrices for Cellular Pattern Integrity W. Tan, T. Desai (University of Illinois at Chicago) The ability to design and create biologically relevant patterns via microfluidic patterning on surfaces provides new capabilities for cell biology, the production of biosensors and tissue engineering. However, cellular patterns, defined by microfluidic methods, often lose integrity over time due to cell growth and migration immediately upon removal of the PDMS stamp. In this study, biopolymer matrices were used in conjunction with cellular micropatterning to control cell attachment, growth, and long-term maintenance of these patterns. The incorporation of appropriate matrix materials with microfluidic cell patterning methods results in highly compliant patterns of adherent human endothelial cells (HUVECs) and fibroblasts after several day in vitro. Furthermore, cell type and chemical components in these biopolymer matrices influence the ability of the biopolymer matrices to control cell growth, proliferation and compliance to the patterns. Cell growth and migration in micropatterned biopolymers such as agarose, collagen, collagen-GAG mimics, and collagen-fibronectin are quantitatively measured and compared, and cell-matrix interactions are also examined over time. Results suggest that the use of an appropriate biopolymer matrix helps to control cell growth and maintain pattern integrity for long periods of time. This is essential for conducting stable biological experiments, as well as achieving control over tissue engineering constructs with multiple cell types.
11:20 AM		BI+MM-TuM-10 High Throughput Techniques for Non Invasive Cancer Cell Detection W.C. Wilson, L.F. Pardo, X.Z. Yu, T. Boland (Clemson University) The usefulness of patterned surfaces, which specifically bind antagonists has been recognized for a wide variety of biomedical applications ranging from drug screening to tissue engineering. Current technologies for creating patterned surfaces suffer from many drawbacks. For optimized results, technologies that are flexible, use a large number of different proteins, high-throughput and inexpensive are warranted. Ink jet technology has shown promise in meeting these criteria and commercial systems are being developed. High throughput and quantitative assaying of the patterns is equally challenging. For example, in early cancer detection, it is desirable to detect a few abnormal cells within millions of normal cells. It is unlikely that PCR based techniques or gene chips will be economically feasible tools for early detection since most of the cost will be associated with analyzing normal DNA. Economical high-throughput screening and concentration technologies may be able to discriminate and select abnormal cells for further analysis. We developed a piezo driven protein and cell printer in our laboratory, able to simultaneously deposit picoliter drops of cell or protein solutions out of nine nozzles. The printer can deliver a single cell per drop to a surface with submicron resolution. Furthermore, it is equipped with a robotic arm and conveyer belt allowing for truly high-throughput printing. Examples of its use including for anti angiogenesis drug screening will be presented. Quantitative assaying is done using a cell scanner. The cell scanner has a resolution of less than 2 Âµ, is fully computer controlled, high-throughput and an economically attractive when compared to epifluorescent microscopes. Results will be presented with fluorescently labeled cells demonstrating the potential of the cell scanner for high-throughput discrimination and selection of prostate cancer cells.
11:40 AM		BI+MM-TuM-11 Electrochemically-Activated Switching of Surface Chemistry Using Tethered Molecular Machines B.C. Bunker, D.L. Huber, J.G. Kushmerick, M. Kelly, C.M. Matzke (Sandia National Laboratories); J.F. Stoddart, J. Cao, J.O. Jeppesen, J. Perkins (University of California, Los Angeles) Sandia National Laboratories is integrating "smart" coatings into microanalytical systems for transporting, separating, and detecting species such as proteins. This paper describes the first demonstration of the use of electrochemically-activated molecular machines to switch surface chemistries. The "motor" for the machines being studied consists of an open aromatic ring system (cyclobis(paraquat-p-phenylene)) referred to as the "blue-box" due to its strong optical absorption properties. Reversible oxidation or reduction of the blue box makes it attract or repel aromatic threads such as functionalized naphthalenes or tetrathiafulvalene (TTF). Researchers at UCLA have succeeded in attaching a disulfide-terminated tail to the blue box which is used to tether the blue box to gold surfaces. Ellipsometry and atomic force microscopy measurements indicate that monolayer films of the blue box are produced. Electrochemical measurements indicate that while the voltages required to reduce the blue box are similar to voltages known to induce switching of the box in solution, adsorption of naphthalene threads is irreversible. Reversible switching is only seen for TTF threads that can themselves be oxidized. Contact angle measurements show that reversible changes in surface chemistry can be induced using appropriate threads. A simple microelectronic device has been constructed to demonstrate how the molecular machines can be used to move liquids or dissolved species within microfluidic systems.