Effects of concave and convex substrate curvature on cell mechanics and the cytoskeleton

In order to understand how cells respond to concave and convex subcellular surface structures, colloidal crystal array and honeycomb-structured surfaces composed of highly ordered hexagonal units with completely inverse curvature were fabricated via facile self-assembly and breath figure approaches, respectively. The influence of hexagonal surface curvature on cell fate was subsequently investigated. Cells underwent more extensive spreading on the convex colloidal crystal array surface, while adhesive forces were higher on the concave honeycomb surface. The behaviors of cells on the different surfaces were investigated by comparing cell morphology, cellular adhesive force and cytoskeleton structure. The results revealed comprehensive differences in cell behavior between those on concave honeycomb surfaces and convex colloidal crystal arrays.