Objective. The role of the crypt microarchitecture and surrounding tissue curvature on intestinal stem/proliferative cell physiology is unknown. The utility of liquid lithography in creating polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) micropillar stamps with controlled tip curvature was assessed. Using these stamps, the impact of microcurvature at the crypt base on intestinal cell and cytoskeletal behavior was studied. Approach. An SU-8 master mold as a support, polyols of varying surface energies as sacrificial liquids, and liquid PDMS as the solidifiable material were combined using liquid lithography to form PDMS micropillar arrays. Vapor phase deposition of organosilane onto the master mold was used to modify the surface energy of the master mold to shape the micropillar tips. Collagen was molded using the micropillar arrays forming a scaffold for culture of human primary colonic epithelial cells. Cell proliferation and cytoskeletal properties were assessed using fluorescent stains. Main results. Liquid lithography using low surface energy polyols (<55 dynes cm⁻¹) generated convex-tipped PDMS micropillars, while polyols with higher surface energies (>55 dynes cm⁻¹) yielded concave-tipped PDMS micropillars. Gradients of octyltrichlorosilane deposition across a master mold with an array of microwells yielded a PDMS micropillar array with a range of tip curvatures. Human primary colonic epithelial cells cultured on micropillar-molded collagen scaffolds demonstrated a stem/proliferative cell compartment at the crypt base. Crypts with a convex base demonstrated significantly lower cell proliferation at the crypt base than that of cells in crypts with either flat or concave bases. Crypts with a convex base also displayed higher levels of G-actin activity compared to that of crypts with flat or concave bases. Significance. Liquid lithography enabled creation of arrays of in vitro colonic crypts with programmable curvature. Primary cells at the crypt base sensed and responded to surface curvature by altering their proliferation and cytoskeletal properties.

客观的。隐窝微结构和周围组织曲率对肠干细胞/增殖细胞生理学的作用尚不清楚。评估了液体光刻在创建具有可控尖端曲率的聚二甲基硅氧烷 (PDMS) 微柱印章中的效用。使用这些邮票，研究了隐窝基部微曲率对肠细胞和细胞骨架行为的影响。方法. SU-8 母模作为支撑，不同表面能的多元醇作为牺牲液体，液体 PDMS 作为可固化材料，使用液体光刻技术组合形成 PDMS 微柱阵列。有机硅烷气相沉积到主模具上用于修改主模具的表面能以塑造微柱尖端。使用微柱阵列模制胶原蛋白，形成用于培养人原代结肠上皮细胞的支架。使用荧光染色评估细胞增殖和细胞骨架特性。主要成果。^{使用低表面能多元醇 (<55 dynes cm -1} ) 的液体光刻产生凸尖的 PDMS 微柱，而具有较高表面能的多元醇 (>55 dynes cm ^-1) 产生了凹尖的 PDMS 微柱。辛基三氯硅烷在带有微孔阵列的母模上的梯度沉积产生了具有一系列尖端曲率的 PDMS 微柱阵列。在微柱模塑胶原支架上培养的人原代结肠上皮细胞在隐窝基部显示出干/增殖细胞区室。与具有平坦或凹基的隐窝中的细胞相比，具有凸基的隐窝在隐窝基部表现出显着更低的细胞增殖。与具有平坦或凹基的隐窝相比，具有凸基的隐窝也显示出更高水平的 G-肌动蛋白活性。意义。液体光刻能够创建体外阵列具有可编程曲率的结肠隐窝。隐窝底部的原代细胞通过改变它们的增殖和细胞骨架特性来感知表面曲率并对其做出反应。