Growth of Endothelial Cells on Surfaces Modified by a Plasma-Polymerized Coating

Abstract

Endothelial cell adhesion and growth were investigated on three types of surfaces with a plasma-polymerized coating (PPC): (1) the pristine surface of a hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDS) PPC (hydrophobic, electrically neutral surface); (2) an HMDS PPC surface with nitrogen-containing plasma treatment (hydrophilic, positively charged surface); and (3) an HMDS PPC surface treated with oxygen plasma (hydrophilic, negatively charged surface). Endothelial cells grew on surface (2) but not on surfaces (1) or (3). Next, endothelial cell adhesion and growth was investigated on a surface on which 80-μm squares were micro-patterned at 160-μm intervals in a mosaic composed of two different (cell-adhesive and non-cell-adhesive) regions. Cell growth on the patterned surfaces was different from that on non-patterned surfaces. PPC was shown to be a simple process for modulating cell adhesion to surfaces.