Surface Modification of PTLG Terpolymer Using PNIPAAm and Its Cell Adhesion/Detachment Behavior

Abstract

AbstractNovel biodegradable terpolymer poly (1,3‐trimethylene carbonate‐b‐(l‐lactide‐r‐glycolide)) grafted with poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) (PTLG‐PNIPAAm) is prepared by plasma‐induced polymerization. The experimental results show that PNIPAAm segments of samples have a dramatic effect on surface layer structure and cell behavior of PTLG‐PNIPAAm. The thickness of PNIPAAm layer on PTLG surface increases rapidly from 50 nm to 1 µm with the molecular weight of samples increasing. Cell toxicity analysis indicates that PTLG‐PNIPAAm possesses good cytocompatibility to human adipose‐derived stem cells (hADSCs). For cell adhesion and detachment process on modified surface, the “hook and loop” process is proposed to understand the cell adhesion on modified surface with coiled conformation PNIPAAm segments at 37 °C, and then the cell sheet detached from surface spontaneously due to the conformation of PNIPAAm segments extends below its lower critical solution temperature. The research demonstrates that with increasing thickness of the PNIPAAm layer on PTLG surface, the hADSCs with well cell viability presents rapider thermal‐responsive detachment behavior. Therefore, the surface modification of biodegradable PTLG with stimuli‐sensitive functional PNIPAAm is an efficacious route for further application in stem cell culture and tissue engineering stent.