Wendong Liu, Yunfeng Li, Tieqiang Wang, Daowei Li, Liping Fang, Shoujun Zhu,Huaizhong Shen, Junhu Zhang, Hongchen Sun, and Bai Yang*

ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 2013, 5, 12587−12593.

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    A novel method to fabricate elliptical ring arrays of proteins is provides. The protein arrays are prepared by covalently grafting proteins to the polymer brush ring arrays which are prepared by the techniques combining colloidal lithography dewetting and surface initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP). Through this method, the parameters of protein patterns, such as height,wall thickness, periods, and distances between two elliptical rings, can be finely regulated. In addition, the sample which contains the elliptical protein ring arrays can be prepared over a large area up to 1 cm2, and the protein on the ring maintains its biological activity. The as-prepared ring and elliptical ring arrays (ERAs) of fibronectin can promote cell adhesion and may have an active effect on the formation of the actin cytoskeleton.