Abstract: The present invention relates to articles and methods involving porous materials (e.g., membranes) which may interact with species, such as biological molecules, cells, etc., whereby the species may adhere to or become immobilized with respect to a surface of the porous material or an adhesion layer coating the porous surface. The porous material may be capable of attaching species with control over the positioning and spatial distribution of the species across the surface of the material. Such articles and methods may be useful in, for example, biological assays, biological sensors, or in the culturing of biological cells.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for manipulating chemical and/or biological species (e.g., cells) and, more specifically, to methods and apparatus for manipulating chemical and/or biological species using magnetic fields. In one embodiment, a method of manipulating cells involves the patterning of cells using a magnetic field modulator, which can modulate the magnetic field created by a magnetic field source. The cells may be magnetically susceptible in some cases; for instance, they may be tagged with magnetic particles. When a fluid containing cells is brought in contact with a surface, and the magnetic field modulator is positioned proximate the surface, the cells may form a pattern proximate the surface by aligning with portions of the modulated magnetic field. The position of the pattern of cells may be at least partially determined by the position of the magnetic field modulator in relation to the surface.