Patterning of surfaces by photoisomerizable antibody-antigen monolayers

A dinitrospiropyran antibody (DNP-Ab) photoisomerizable monolayer is assembled onto an indium tin oxide (ITO) conductive glass. The monolayer exhibits photoswitchable affinities for the DNP-Ab. The dinitrospiropyran monolayer state (SP) exhibits high affinity for the DNP-Ab, where the merocyanine photoisomer state (MR) lacks affinity for the Ab. Association of the Ab to the monolayer results in local insulation of the surface. The insulation of the ITO glass by the associated Ab and the photoswitchable binding of the DNP-Ab provides a means of mechanically patterning and photolithographically microstructuring the monolayer-modified surface. Application of the DNP-Ab solution as "ink" allows the mechanical patterning of the dinitrospiropyran monolayer (SP) and imaging of the pattern by electrodeposition of Cu onto the Ab-lacking domains. Photolithographic patterning of the dinitrospiropyran monolayer is accomplished by irradiation of the surface through a grid. Selective association of the agarose-bound DNP-Ab to the SP photolithographed pattern results in the microstructure of agarose particles containing the Ab.