Adapting ways to functionalize polymer materials is becoming increasingly important to their implementation
in translational biomedical sciences. By tuning the mechanical,
chemical, and biological qualities of these materials, their
applications can be broadened, opening the door for more
advanced integration into modern medical techniques. Here, we
report on a method to integrate chemical functionalizations
into discrete, microscale polymer structures, which are used for
tissue engineering applications, for in vivo localization, and
three-dimensional manipulation. Iron oxide nanoparticles were
incorporated into the polymer matrix using common photolithographic techniques to create stably functional microstructures
with magnetic potential. Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), we can promote visualization of microstructures contained in
small collections, as well as facilitate the manipulation and alignment of microtopographical cues in a realistic tissue environment.
Using similar polymer functionalization techniques, fluorine-containing compounds were also embedded in the polymer matrix
of photolithographically fabricated microstructures. The incorporation of fluorine-containing compounds enabled highly sensitive
and specific detection of microstructures in physiologic settings using fluorine MRI techniques (19F MRI). These
functionalization strategies will facilitate more reliable noninvasive tracking and characterization of microstructured polymer
implants as well as have implications for remote microstructural scaffolding alignment for three-dimensional tissue engineering
applications.