Low fibronectin concentration overcompensates for reduced initial fibroblasts adhesion to a nanoscale topography: Single-cell force spectroscopy

Using single-cell force spectroscopy, we compared the initial adhesion of L929 fibroblasts to planar and nanostructured silicon substrates as a function of fibronectin concentration. The nanostructures were periodically grooved with a symmetric groove-summit period of 180 nm and a groove depth of 120 nm. Cell adhesion strength to the bare nanostructure was lower (79% ± 13%) than to the planar substrate, which we attribute to reduced contact area. After pre-incubation with a low fibronectin concentration (5 μg/ml) the adhesion strengths to both surfaces increased, with adhesion strength on the nanostructure outweighing that of the planar substrate by 133% ± 14%. At a high fibronectin concentration (25 μg/ml) the adhesion strengths on both surfaces further increased and showed wide variations. In parallel, the nanostructure lost its clear advantage over the planar substrate. Our results demonstrate that cell adhesion is influenced by substrate topography and fibronectin, which mediate the interplay between specific interactions, non-specific interactions, and cell mechanics. Two parallel processes govern the initial adhesion strength: the detachment of the cell body from the substrate and the extraction of tethers from the cell membrane. The duration of the latter process is determined by tether lifetimes, and is a major contributor to the overall work required for cell–substrate detachment. Cell body detachment and tether lifetimes are affected by surface topography and may be strongly modulated by the presence of adsorbed proteins, whereas the tether extraction forces remained unchanged by these factors.