[PEER REVIEWED] Protocol for Micropatterning of Cell Monolayers into Islands of Desired Size and Shape v2

The following protocol is used to confine cell monolayers to user-defined geometries on hydrogels. The protocol uses methods of soft lithography with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). The successful protocol creates islands of cells on compliant substrates with user defined size and shape. These cell islands can be used to study a variety of questions in cell mechanics, mechanobiology, and collective cell migration using experimental methods such as optical microscopy, digital image correlation, particle image velocimetry, cell tracking, cell segmentation, traction force microscopy, and monolayer stress microscopy.