Advances in DNA-directed immobilization.

DNA-directed immobilization (DDI) of proteins is a chemically mild and highly efficient method for generating (micro)structured patterns of proteins on surfaces. Twenty years after its initial description, the DDI method has proven its robustness and versatility in numerous applications, ranging from biosensing and biomedical diagnostics, to fundamental studies in biology and medicine on the single-cell level. This review gives a brief summary on technical aspects of the DDI method and illustrates its scope for applications with an emphasis on studies in cell biology.