Micropatterning of biological molecules using laser ablation
View Patent ↗The present invention employs the natural hydrophilic properties of a macromolecular film such as a hydrogel and in combination with localized photo-ablation of monolayers created with the hydrogel using multi-photon laser excitation, provides a stampless, versatile method of micropattern fabrication.
1. A method of creating a micropattern of a biological molecule, the method comprising
preparing a hydrophilic macromolecular film attached to an activated substrate, wherein the substrate is of a material to which the biological molecule can adhere;
ablating the macromolecular film using a laser to create a pattern; and depositing the biological molecule onto the pattern, wherein the biological molecule adheres to the substrate and not to the hydrophilic macromolecular film.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hydrophilic macromolecular film is a hydrogel.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the hydrogel is polyvinyl alcohol or polyacrylamide.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hydrophilic macromolecular film is a silicone polymer or co-polymer.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein film is a thin film.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the substrate is glass.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the substrate is activated using a silane.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the laser is a pulsed laser controlled by a shutter and a light guiding system.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the biological molecule is a glycoconjugate, a protein or a nucleic acid.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the biological molecule is a glycoconjugate.