Elaboration of modelized surfaces with well defined microtopochemistry-localization of adsorbed proteins

Using microphotolithographic techniques, we have been able to devise silica surfaces bearing two types of microdomains with an average width of 40μm. One of the microdomain types was silanized in order to make them hydrophobic. Fourier transform-infrared (FTIR) and Auger electron spectroscopies (AES) were used to check the presence of the expected chemical groups on the modified silica surface. Silica and silanized surface morphology was studied using Scanning Force Microscopy (SFM). Wetting properties were investigated. Protein adsorption studies were performed using diluted human decalcified plasma. Attention was focused on the topographic distribution of the adsorbed molecules in order to establish a correlation between the protein behaviour and the specific chemistry of each type of microdomain. Copyright (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V.