We develop an enzyme-triggered permeable DNA hydrogel cover to envelop and release single cells in microwells. The porous structure of the DNA hydrogel allows nutrients and waste to pass through, leading to a cell viability as high as 98%. The design provides a general method to culture, monitor, and manipulate single cells, and has potential applications in cell patterning and studying cell communication.

This work investigates the influence of cytophilic and anisotropic nanomaterials on accelerated cell attachment and directional migration toward rapid wound healing. Inspired by the anisotropic protein nanofibers in scab, a polyurethane (PU) nanofibrous membrane with an aligned structure was fabricated. The membrane showed good affinity for wound-healing-related cells and could guide cell migration in the direction of PU nanofibers. Also, the morphology and distribution of F-actin and paxillin of attached cells were influenced by the underlying nanofibers. The randomly distributed PU nanofibers and planar PU membrane did not show a distinct impact on cell migration. This scab-inspired cytophilic membrane is promising in applications as functional interfacial biomaterials for rapid wound healing, bone repair, and construction of neural networks.