Self-assembled cellular microarrays patterned using DNA barcodes

The successful integration of living cells into synthetic devices requires precise control over cell patterning. Here we describe a versatile platform that can accomplish this goal through DNA hybridization. Living cells functionalized with exogenous cell-surface DNA strands bind to cognate sequences of DNA printed on glass slides. Attachment via these “cell-adhesion barcodes” is rapid and specific, with close-packed arrays of cells forming within minutes. The biophysical properties of the system are characterized, and the technique is used to form complex cellular patterns with single-cell line widths and self-assembled cellular microarrays. Key advantages of DNA-directed cell binding include the ability to immobilize both adherent and non-adherent cells, to capture cells selectively from a mixed population, to tune the binding properties of the cells, and to reuse substrates prepared with widely available DNA printing technologies.