Hierarchical Micro-Nano Surface Roughness Wax-Impregnated Cotton Fabrics Platform for Cell-Based Diagnostics.

The hierarchical micronano structured surface plays a significant role in influencing cell behavior, making it a critical feature for biomaterials. Increased surface roughness, such as that achieved with wax-impregnated cotton fabrics, mimics the 3D native environment of fibroblasts, offering a novel approach for cell-based diagnostics. Traditional biopsy methods are often time-consuming and complex. To address this, we developed a novel point-of-care diagnostic platform utilizing wax-impregnated cotton fabrics with varying melting points, resulting in a rough hierarchical surface conducive to cell attachment. The platform's performance was evaluated based on physical properties (surface characteristics and adhesion), cell growth profiles, attachment morphology, and cell staining ability using trichrome stain. Immunofluorescent and FESEM imaging indicated that the hierarchical roughness promoted cell growth and differentiation, enabling clear visualization of healthy and unhealthy cells under reflective mode microscopy. These findings underscore the potential of wax-impregnated cotton fabrics in biomedical applications, particularly in designing platforms for cell-material interfaces. Our point-of-care diagnostic method leverages hierarchical structures on wax-impregnated cotton fabrics, achieved by using waxes with varying melting points. During the cooling process, sedimentation of low-viscosity wax onto the cotton's hierarchical structure resulted in a rough surface. This micronano hierarchical roughness facilitated cell attachment, with performance evaluated through (a) physical properties, including surface roughness (