Plasma treated polycarbonate as substrate for culture of adherent mammalian cells

Abstract

Polycarbonate surfaces have been treated with radiofrequency plasmas of oxygen, air and argon to hydrophilise the surfaces and to provide good cell culture properties. Surfaces treated at high RF power/gas flow ratios were highly hydrophilic and stable towards washing in 70% ethanol, while those treated at lower ratios were not wash-stable. Cell growth properties as good as on commercial tissue-culture polystyrene could be obtained down to 20° water contact angle (measured after ethanol washing) on the treated surfaces for three different human cell lines (HeLa cervix carcinoma cells, MRC-5 lung fibroblasts and Chang hepatoma cells). The HeLa cells were most sensitive to the treatment conditions, while the Chang cells showed the most robust behaviour. Cells grown on surfaces with around 20° water contact angle were assessed by immunofluorescence staining methods and phase contrast microscopy. The cells showed normal behaviour with respect to morphology, spreading, cytoskeleton structure, cell-surface contacts and DNA synthesis.