1. A method for preparing a patterned surface for the selective adhesion and outgrowth of cells, comprising: (i) coating a substrate with a first compound to obtain an ultra-thin film which is reactive to radiation and has an exposed surface of at least one cell adhesion promoter or cell adhesion inhibitor; and (ii) irradiating said ultra-thin film in a pattern to obtain an irradiated film with a surface region in which at least a fraction of said promoter or inhibitor has been removed, wherein said cell adhesion promoter contains a group selected from the group consisting of --NHCH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 NHCH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 NH.sub.2, --NHCH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 NH.sub.2, 11-aminoundecyl, 3-aminopropyl, 3-(-amino-propoxy)-3,3-dimethyl-1-propenyl, 6-(aminohexyl)propyl, N-(2-aminoethyl)-3-aminopropyl, --(CH.sub.2).sub.3 --NH--(CH.sub.2).sub.2 --NH--(CH.sub.2 .paren close-st..sub.3, Gly-Arg-Gly-Asp-Tyr-, and Gly-Tyr-Ile-Gly-Ser-Arg-Tyr, and wherein said cell adhesion inhibitor contains a fluorinated alkyl group.