Adherent cells avoid polarization gradients on periodically poled LiTaO₃ ferroelectrics

Authors

Christof Christophis, Ruprecht-Karls-University Heidelberg, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
Elisabetta Ada Cavalcanti-Adam, Ruprecht-Karls-University Heidelberg
Maximilian Hanke, Ruprecht-Karls-University Heidelberg, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
Kenji Kitamura, National Institute for Materials Science
Alexei Gruverman, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Michael Grunze, Ruprecht-Karls-University Heidelberg, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Heidelberg University Hospital
Peter A. Dowben, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Axel Rosenhahn, Ruprecht-Karls-University Heidelberg, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, University of BochumFollow

Date of this Version

2013

Citation

Biointerphases 2013, 8:27; doi:10.1186/1559-4106-8-27

Comments

Copyright © 2013 Christophis,Cavalcanti-Adam, Hanke, Kitamura, Gruverman, Grunze, Dowben, and Rosenhahn; licensee Springer. Used by permission.

Abstract

The response of fibroblast cells to periodically poled LiTaO₃ ferroelectric crystals has been studied. While fibroblast cells do not show morphological differences on the two polarization directions, they show a tendency to avoid the field gradients that occur between polarization domains of the ferroelectric. The response to the field gradients is fully established after one hour, a time at which fibroblasts form their first focal contacts. If suspension cells, with a lower tendency to establish strong surface contacts are used, no influence of the field gradients is observed.