Current progress in tissue engineering is focused on the creation of environments in which cultures of relevant cells can adhere, grow and form functional tissue. We propose a method for controlled chemical and topographical cues through surface patterning of self-folding hydrogel films. This provides a conversion of 2D patterning techniques into a viable method of manufacturing a 3D scaffold. While similar bilayers have previously been demonstrated, here we present a faster and high throughput process for fabricating self-folding hydrogel devices incorporating controllable surface nanotopographies by serial hot embossing of sacrificial layers and photolithography. 
Self-folding nano- and micropatterned hydrogel tissue engineering scaffolds by single step photolithographic process