In vivo human cells are surrounded by a three-dimensional dynamic extracellular matrix that influences cell phenotype and behavior at a micro- and nanoscale. Mimicking this control mechanism with structured polymeric cell culture scaffolds is the purpose of this interdisciplinary project. Previous research results have shown that the surface energy of the cell-polymer interface is important for initial cell adhesion and later cell development. So one possible approach for artificial cell controlling is surface energy controlling. We have chosen surface energy anisotropy as control parameter and have established this anisotropy with various microstructures (cubes, walls) made of polar poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and disperse cyclic olefin polymer (COP). Surface energy on microstructures was investigated by contact angle measurements with polar water, polar/disperse ethylene glycol and disperse diiodomethane. It can be said that cubes isotropically increased contact angles of all three liquids on both COP and PMMA. Trapped air (Cassie-Baxter model) could be a possible explanation for this result. In contrast, contact angles of all three liquids decreased on PMMA in parallel to walls. On walls made of COP water contact angles increased and ethylene glycol/diiodomethane contact angles decreased along walls. Contact angles of all three liquids increased cross-wise to COP and PMMA walls. Different local energy barriers along and perpendicular to walls may cause these anisotropy. Stem cells reacted to the allocatable polar fraction of surface energy. Cell body elongation took place parallel to PMMA walls, but no cell attachment was found on PMMA cubes. F-Actin staining which visualizes the cell skeleton showed a mimicking of the wall structure geometry. The cause of this contact guidance is not fully elucidated yet. Adhesion protein mediation or direct cell membrane-structure contact are potential explanations and will be addressed by further research activities.