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We present a simple analytical method to measure adhesion of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and calf pulmonary artery endothelial cells (CPAEs) using nanopattemed, biodegradable poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PIGA) surfaces for potential applications to artificial tissue-engineered blood vessel. Various nanostructured PLGA surfaces (350 nm wide ridges/350 nm grooves, 350 nm ridges/700 nm grooves, 350 nm ridges/1750 nm grooves, 700 nm ridges/350 nm grooves, 1050 nm iidges/350 nm grooves, 1750 nm ridges/350 nm grooves) and fiat (unpatterned) surfaces were fabricated on the bottom of polydimeth)lsiloxane (PDMS) microfluidic channel of 2 mm width and 60 μm height by using thermal imprinting and irreversible channel bonding. To measure adhesion strength of HUVECs and CPAEs, the cells were exposed to a range of shear stress (12, 40, and 80 dyn/ cm2) within the channels for 20 mm after a preculture for 3 days and the remaining cells were counted under each condition. The highest adhesion strength was found on the surface of 700 nm wide ridges, 350 nm wide grooves for both cell types. The enhanced adhesion on nanopattemed surfaces can be attributed to two aspects: (i) contact guidance along the line direction and (ii) clustered focal adhesions. In particular, the contact guidance induced cell alignment along the line directions, which in turn lowers wall shear stress applied to the cell surface, as supported by a simple hydrodynamic model based on cell morphology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]