Plasma-treated XXXX surfaces: model surfaces for studying cell-biomaterial interactions.

@entity852 @entity26 @entity3547 @entity3545
Biocompatibility of biomaterials relates, amongst others, to the absence of adverse cellular reactions and modulation of cell adhesion and subsequent responses. With respect to tissue-engineering applications, most materials need to evoke cell adhesion and spreading, while potentially displaying differential cell function. Adhesion has frequently been studied in a controlled fashion, using adhesion-supporting and -inhibiting substrata. The aim of this study is to create a panel of related materials with gradually changing surface characteristics in order to sustain similar individual cell adhesion and spreading, yet different cell population behaviour. A series of @entity852 materials was created with increasing @entity26 surface incorporation and, concurrently, decreasing water-contact angles. Individual cells adhered and spread on all surfaces whilst showing well-developed focal adhesions and stress fibres. Cell populations demonstrated a decreased growth on surfaces with lower wettability. The biochemical activity of cell populations was not influenced by the surface treatment, but cell proliferation on surfaces increased with increasing @entity26 incorporation. Furthermore, surface coverage with assembled fibronectin matrix was higher on the substrata with higher wettability. Finally, the expression of the adhesion-related proteins @entity3545 , focal adhesion kinase and @entity3547 was increased on surfaces with higher wettability. Further explorations of the cell biological basis of the observed differential behaviour will give more detailed answers on the rules governing cell-material interactions.
