Spontaneous patterning obtained by evaporation of Human Elastin-like Polypeptide solutions

The potential of producing patterned, bioactive coatings with Human Elastin-Like Polypeptides (HELPs) has been investigated. The physicochemical features of these compounds have evidenced some differences between the two recombinantly expressed products. By a device-free, simple route and avoiding the use of chemically unfriendly compounds, micropatterned surfaces with the ability to control cell behavior could be obtained. Thus, HELPs represent a very promising class of macromolecule for future applications in surface engineering.