Comparison of the enhanced attachment and proliferation of the human mesenchymal stem cells on the biomimetic nanopatterned surfaces of zein, silk fibroin, and gelatin

Natural proteins have been reported to positively affect the attachment and proliferation of cells. For the first time, zein, a plant protein, was utilized to make patterned surface mimicking the extracellular matrix to assist the attachment and proliferation of stem cells. Zein would promote the attachment and proliferation of the stem cells more than 10 times of that of gelatin and silk fibroin, respectively, which are popular protein selections for the formation of the biomaterial scaffolds. The more the surface was covered by zein, the more the stem cell grown. It was revealed that the stem cells would grow and stretch in the direction of the patterns, and the stem cells preferred to grow in the grooves in the size of 8 μm, that was similar to the size of the stem cells, rather than the size larger or smaller than that of the cells, such as 50 and 2 μm. It was concluded that zein is a better choice than silk fibroin and gelatin with highly potential for the formation of patterned surface and structure as the biomaterial scaffolds for stem cell therapy.

NUMERICAL APPROACH TO QUANTIFY AND CHARACTERIZE INTERFACE MECHANICAL BEHAVIOR BETWEEN THIN LAYER SUBSTRATE AND BIOLOGICAL TISSUES

In this paper, we investigate the behavior of biological tissues (skin) coupled to a substrate (sensor) based on a numerical model taking into account the relationship between strain/stress components at the interface. Based on this study, we understand and quantify the most appropriate biomechanical factors in order to optimize sensor/biological tissue interface conditions. A micromechanical description based on a mathematical formulation has been developed to evaluate the biomechanical behavior provided by a 2D viscoelastic model of Kelvin–Voigt. The results show a spatio-temporal law of tissue motion highlighting the need for an optimized interface for reliable data transmission in the case of connected device in a dynamic movement or in the manufacturing of intelligent and reactive prosthesis device.

Laser Processed Antimicrobial Nanocomposite Based on Polyaniline Grafted Lignin Loaded with Gentamicin-Functionalized Magnetite

Composite thin coatings of conductive polymer (polyaniline grafted lignin, PANI-LIG) embedded with aminoglycoside Gentamicin sulfate (GS) or magnetite nanoparticles loaded with GS (Fe₃O₄@GS) were deposited by the matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE) technique. The aim was to obtain such nanostructured coatings for titanium-based biomedical surfaces, which would induce multi-functional properties to implantable devices, such as the controlled release of the therapeutically active substance under the action of a magnetic and/or electric field. Thus, the unaltered laser transfer of the initial biomaterials was reported, and the deposited thin coatings exhibited an appropriate nanostructured surface, suitable for bone-related applications. The laser processing of PANI-LIG materials had a meaningful impact on the composites' wettability, since the contact angle values corresponding to the composite laser processed materials decreased in comparison with pristine conductive polymer coatings, indicating more hydrophilic surfaces. The corrosion resistant structures exhibited significant antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Candida albicans strains. In vitro cytotoxicity studies demonstrated that the PANI-LIG-modified titanium substrates can allow growth of bone-like cells. These results encourage further assessment of this type of biomaterial for their application in controlled drug release at implantation sites by external activation.

Film Confinement Induced "Jump-Percolation" Wetting Transition in Amphiphilic Block Copolymer Films

We report a first-order like sharp surface wettability transition with varying film thickness dependent morphology in cast films of an amphiphilic triblock copolymer. Films composed of poly(2-(N-ethylperfluorooctanesulfonamido) ethyl methyl acrylate), poly(FOSM), and poly(N,N'-dimethyl acrylamide), poly(DMA), with thickness (h) in the transition-range, 200 < h < 300 nm, exhibited an abrupt hydrophobic to hydrophilic dynamic water contact angle transition. After an induction time, ti ≈ 40 to 180 s, water contact angle varied as θc ≈ 116° to 40° with an ultrafast contact angle decay time constant, [Formula: see text] ≈ -18°/s. This behavior is a result of competing heterogeneous and antagonistic effects of bumpy poly(DMA) wetting domains against a nonwetting planar poly(FOSM) background, with a "jump percolation" wetting transition when the poly(DMA) domain density reaches unity. Outside of this film thickness range, relatively shallow decreasing water contact angle gradients were observed with a monotonically increasing poly(DMA) domain area coverage with increasing film thickness in the overall range of 40 nm (hydrophobic, θc ≈ 118°) < h < 500 nm (hydrophilic, θc ≈ 8°). The optical diffuse reflectance properties of these rough surfaces exhibit an onset of diffuse reflectance maxima correlated to the transition morphology film thickness.

Tuning neuron adhesion and neurite guiding using functionalized AuNPs and backfill chemistry

Gold nanoparticles are used to investigate the dependence of neuron adhesion on the density of cell binding sites and particle backfill. Neurons viability and neurite development depend differently on cell attractive and cell repellant surface cues.

Controlled surface chemistry of diamond/β-SiC composite films for preferential protein adsorption

Diamond and SiC both process extraordinary biocompatible, electronic, and chemical properties. A combination of diamond and SiC may lead to highly stable materials, e.g., for implants or biosensors with excellent sensing properties. Here we report on the controllable surface chemistry of diamond/β-SiC composite films and its effect on protein adsorption. For systematic and high-throughput investigations, novel diamond/β-SiC composite films with gradient composition have been synthesized using the hot filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD) technique. As revealed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the diamond/β-SiC ratio of the composite films shows a continuous change from pure diamond to β-SiC over a length of ∼ 10 mm on the surface. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) was employed to unveil the surface termination of chemically oxidized and hydrogen treated surfaces. The surface chemistry of the composite films was found to depend on diamond/β-SiC ratio and the surface treatment. As observed by confocal fluorescence microscopy, albumin and fibrinogen were preferentially adsorbed from buffer: after surface oxidation, the proteins preferred to adsorb on diamond rather than on β-SiC, resulting in an increasing amount of proteins adsorbed to the gradient surfaces with increasing diamond/β-SiC ratio. By contrast, for hydrogen-treated surfaces, the proteins preferentially adsorbed on β-SiC, leading to a decreasing amount of albumin adsorbed on the gradient surfaces with increasing diamond/β-SiC ratio. The mechanism of preferential protein adsorption is discussed by considering the hydrogen bonding of the water self-association network to OH-terminated surfaces and the change of the polar surface energy component, which was determined according to the van Oss method. These results suggest that the diamond/β-SiC gradient film can be a promising material for biomedical applications which require good biocompatibility and selective adsorption of proteins and cells to direct cell migration.

Bioactive nanocomposites of bacterial cellulose and natural hydrocolloids

Bacterial cellulose–natural hydrocolloid bionanocomposites were developed as cell growth substrates. The surface free energy of the composites is related to fibroblast viability. Surface properties of the bionanocomposites can be adjusted purely by changing the component proportions.

Influence of variable substrate geometry on wettability and cellular responses

In this report, we evaluate the impact of a systematic change to the extracellular environment on cell morphology and functionality by combining the inherent properties of biocompatible polymers such as polydimethylsiloxane and polycaprolactone with a specific surface response. By microstructuring pillars and pits on the substrates, varying spacing and height of the structures, we investigate the role of topography in fibroblast cell adhesion and viability. The change of wetting behaviour was tailored and evaluated in terms of contact angle measurements. It was shown that the range of micro-scale physical cues at the interface between the cells and the surrounding environment affects cell shape and migrations, indicating a tendency to respond differently to higher features of the micro-scale. We found that surface topography seems dominant over material wettability, fibroblasts responded to variations in topography by altering morphology and migrating along the direction of spacing among the features biased by the height of structures and not by the material. It is therefore possible to selectively influence either cell adhesion or morphology by choosing adequate topography of the surface. This work can impact in the design of biomaterials and can be applied to implanted biomedical devices, tissue engineering scaffolds and lab on chip devices.

Properties of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) films modified with polyvinylpyrrolidone and behavior of MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts cultured on the blended films

A series of composite films of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) (PHBHHx) modified with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) was prepared by varying the ratio of constituents, and their properties and cytocompatibility were evaluated. The hydrophilicity of the blended materials surfaces increased and the amounts of fibronectin and laminin adsorbed on the materials surface increased remarkably compared with PHBHHx. FT-IR spectra of the blended films showed a new band, implying that a surface physical interpenetrating network structure had formed. Scanning electron microscopy showed that there were dense pits and holes on the blended films surface. For the films of PHBHHx with 20 wt% and 40 wt% PVP, MTT assay indicated that PVP enhanced cell adhesion and proliferation, but that the effects were impaired by excessive PVP. The results suggested that proper addition of PVP increased the cytocompatibility of PHBHHx because the material surface had increased hydrophilicity and presented an appropriate morphology.

Improvement of the cytocompatibility of electrospun poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate-co-(R)-3-hydroxyvalerate] mats by Ecoflex

Poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate-co-(R)-3-hydroxyvalerate] (PHBV) is a nature-derived polyester with potential application in tissue engineering scaffolds. However, PHBV is associated with disadvantages including high brittleness, slow degradation, high hydrophobicity, and unsatisfactory biocompatibility. In this study, we sought to improve the properties of PHBV by blending it with Ecoflex, a synthetic biopolyester with a high flexibility, fast degradation, and comparatively higher hydrophilicity. PHBV was codissolved with Ecoflex in dichloromethane at different mass ratios (PHBV/Ecoflex: 100/0, 70/30, 50/50, and 30/70) and electrospun into mats. Compared with the pure PHBV mat, the Ecoflex-containing mats showed decreased contact angles with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), accelerated weight loss in PBS, and increased strain at break with increasing Ecoflex mass ratios. In vitro cell culture also showed significantly improved adhesion and proliferation of human bone marrow stroma cells with the introduction of Ecoflex. Blending PHBV with Ecoflex is a simple and effective method to improve the chemical, mechanical, and biological properties of PHBV simultaneously and thereby to expedite its application in tissue engineering. To our knowledge, this is the first report showing the biocompatibility of Ecoflex-containing materials with human cells.

Chemical imaging of protein adsorption and crystallization on a wettability gradient surface

The use of self-assembled monolayers is an established method to study the effect of surface properties on proteins and other biological materials. The generation of a monolayer with a gradient of chemical properties allows for the study of multiple surface properties simultaneously in a high throughput manner. Typically, in order to detect the presence of proteins or biological material on a surface, the use of additional dyes or tags is required. Here we present a novel method of studying the effect of gradient surface properties on protein adsorption and crystallization in situ through the use of ATR-FTIR spectroscopic imaging, which removes the need for additional labeling. We describe the successful application of this technique to the measurement of the growth of a gradient monolayer of octyltrichlorosilane across the surface of a silicon ATR element. ATR-FTIR imaging was also used to study the adsorption of lysozyme, as a model protein, onto the modified surface. The sensitivity of measurements obtained with a focal plane array (FPA) detector were improved though the use of pixel averaging which allowed small absorption bands to be detected with minimal effect on the spatial resolution along the gradient. Study of the effect of surface hydrophobicity on both adsorption of lysozyme to the element and lysozyme crystallization revealed that more lysozyme adsorbed to the hydrophobic side of the ATR element and more lysozyme crystals formed in the same region. These findings strongly suggest a correlation exists between surface protein adsorption and protein crystallization. This method could be applied to the study of other proteins and whole cells.

Hippocampal cell response to substrates with surface chemistry gradients

Surface chemical gradients are valuable tools for the high-throughput screening of cell-surface interactions. However, it has yet to be shown if biological data obtained from gradient surfaces are transferable to substrates with uniform properties. To explore this question, the response of hippocampal neurons to three different sample formats was compared. We fabricated samples of uniform surface wettability and samples with a linear or radial gradient in surface wettability by depositing plasma-polymerized hexane (hydrophobic) on oxygen-etched glass (hydrophilic). Differences in cell density, growth and viability of the neural cultures are found between the uniform and the gradient samples. The nature of the gradient (linear or radial) has only a small effect on the cell density of adhered hippocampal neurons.

Biomimetic micro∕nanostructured functional surfaces for microfluidic and tissue engineering applications

This paper reviews our work on the application of ultrafast pulsed laser micro∕nanoprocessing for the three-dimensional (3D) biomimetic modification of materials surfaces. It is shown that the artificial surfaces obtained by femtosecond-laser processing of Si in reactive gas atmosphere exhibit roughness at both micro- and nanoscales that mimics the hierarchical morphology of natural surfaces. Along with the spatial control of the topology, defining surface chemistry provides materials exhibiting notable wetting characteristics which are potentially useful for open microfluidic applications. Depending on the functional coating deposited on the laser patterned 3D structures, we can achieve artificial surfaces that are (a) of extremely low surface energy, thus water-repellent and self-cleaned, and (b) responsive, i.e., showing the ability to change their surface energy in response to different external stimuli such as light, electric field, and pH. Moreover, the behavior of different kinds of cells cultured on laser engineered substrates of various wettabilities was investigated. Experiments showed that it is possible to preferentially tune cell adhesion and growth through choosing proper combinations of surface topography and chemistry. It is concluded that the laser textured 3D micro∕nano-Si surfaces with controllability of roughness ratio and surface chemistry can advantageously serve as a novel means to elucidate the 3D cell-scaffold interactions for tissue engineering applications.

Patterning the mechanical properties of hydrogen silsesquioxane films using electron beam irradiation for application in mechano cell guidance

Hydrogen silsesquioxane (HSQ) is a material with the potential for studying the effect of surface stiffness on stem cell differentiation. Here, the effects of electron beam dose on the topography and the mechanical properties of HSQ obtained with or without trimethylamine (TMA) development are characterised by atomic force microscopy imaging and indentation. A correlation between the surface stiffness (uniform across the sample) and electron beam exposure is observed. Surface roughness of HSQ samples developed in TMA decreases exponentially with increasing electron beam exposure. Surface coating with plasma polymerised allylamine (ppAAm) leads to an overall decrease in stiffness values. However, the increase in surface stiffness with increasing electron beam exposure is still evident. The ppAAm coating is shown to facilitate human mesenchymal stem cell adhesion.

Tuning cell adhesion by controlling the roughness and wettability of 3D micro/nano silicon structures

The aim of this study is to investigate fibroblast cell adhesion and viability on highly rough three-dimensional (3D) silicon (Si) surfaces with gradient roughness ratios and wettabilities. Culture surfaces were produced by femtosecond (fs) laser structuring of Si wafers and comprised forests of conical spikes exhibiting controlled dual-scale roughness at both the micro- and the nano-scale. Variable roughness could be achieved by changing the laser pulse fluence and control over wettability and therefore surface energy could be obtained by covering the structures with various conformal coatings, which altered the surface chemistry without, however, affecting morphology. The results showed that optimal cell adhesion was obtained for small roughness ratios, independently of the surface wettability and chemistry, indicating a non-monotonic dependence of fibroblast adhesion on surface energy. Additionally, it was shown that, for the same degree of roughness, a proper change in surface energy could switch the behaviour from cell-phobic to cell-philic and vice versa, transition that was always correlated to surface wettability. These experimental findings are discussed on the basis of previous theoretical models describing the relation of cell response to surface energy. The potential use of the patterned Si substrates as model scaffolds for the systematic exploration of the role of 3D micro/nano morphology and/or surface energy on cell adhesion and growth is envisaged.

Patterning gradient properties from sub-micrometers to millimeters by magnetolithography

A new method is presented for patterning surfaces with gradient properties. The method is based on magnetolithography in which the surface patterning is performed by applying a gradient of a magnetic field on the substrate, using paramagnetic metal masks in the presence of a constant magnetic field. Superparamagnetic nanoparticles (NPs) are deposited on the substrate, and they assemble according to the field and its gradients induced by the mask. Once they pattern the substrate, they protect their sites on the substrate from interacting with any other species. The areas not protected by the NPs can be covered by molecules that chemically bind to the substrate. After these molecules are bound, the NPs are removed, and other molecules may be adsorbed on the newly exposed area. The new technique is based on a parallel process that can be carried out on a full wafer. It provides high resolution, it creates gradient continuously from sub-micrometers to millimeters, and it can be performed on surfaces that are not flat and that are even on the inside of a tube. The gradient that is formed is not limited to a specific property or type of substrate.

Preparation of protein gradients through the controlled deposition of protein-nanoparticle conjugates onto functionalized surfaces

This paper describes a simple method for the preparation and characterization of protein density gradients on solid supports. The method employs colloidal metal nanoparticles as protein carriers and optical tags and is capable of forming linear, exponential, 1D, 2D, and multiprotein gradients of varying slope without expensive or sophisticated surface patterning techniques. Surfaces patterned with proteins using the procedures described within are shown to support cell growth and are thus suitable for studies of protein-cell interactions.

A Parallel-Plate Flow Chamber to Study Initial Cell Adhesion on a Nanofeatured Surface

Cells in the human body come across many types of information, which they respond to. Both material chemistry and topography of the surface where they adhere have an effect on cell shape, proliferation, migration, and gene expression. It is possible to create surfaces with topography at the nanometric scale to allow observation of cell-topography interactions. Previous work has shown that 100-nm-diameter pits on a 300-nm pitch can have a marked effect in reducing the adhesion of rat fibroblasts in static cultures. In the present study, a flow of cell suspension was used to investigate cell adhesion onto nanopits in dynamic conditions, by means of a parallel-plate flow chamber. A flow chamber with inner nanotopography has been designed, which allows real-time observation of the flow over the nanopits. A nanopitted pattern was successfully embossed into polymethylmethacrylate to meet the required shape of the chamber. Dynamic cell adhesion after 1 h has been quantified and compared on flat and nanopitted polymethylmethacrylate substrates. The nanopits were seen to be significantly less adhesive than the flat substrates (p < 0.001), which is coherent with previous observations of static cultures.

Quartz crystal microbalance: a useful tool for studying thin polymer films and complex biomolecular systems at the solution-surface interface

The quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) is a simple, cost effective, high-resolution mass sensing technique, based upon the piezoelectric effect. As a methodology, the QCM evolved a solution measurement capability in largely analytical chemistry and electrochemistry applications due to its sensitive solution-surface interface measurement capability. The technique possesses a wide detection range. At the low mass end, it can detect monolayer surface coverage by small molecules or polymer films. At the upper end, it is capable of detecting much larger masses bound to the surface. These can be complex arrays of biopolymers and biomacromolecules, even whole cells. In addition, the QCM can provide information about the energy dissipating properties of the bound surface mass. Another important and unique feature of the technique is the ability to measure mass and energy dissipation properties of films while simultaneously carrying out electrochemistry on solution species or upon film systems bound to the upper electrode on the oscillating quartz crystal surface. These measurements can describe the course of electropolymerization of a film or can reveal ion or solute transport within a film during changes in the film environment or state, including the oxidation state for an electroactive film driven by the underlying surface potential. The past decade has witnessed an explosive growth in the application of the QCM technique to the study of a wide range of molecular systems at the solution-surface interface, in particular, biopolymer and biochemical systems. In this report, we start with a brief historical and technical overview. Then we discuss the application of the QCM technique to measurements involving micellar systems, self-assembling monolayers and their phase transition behavior, molecularly imprinted polymers, chemical sensors, films formed using the layer-by-layer assembly technique, and biopolymer films and point out the utility of the electrochemical capabilities of the technique to characterizing film properties, especially electroactive polymer films. We also describe the wide range of surface chemistries and attachment strategies used by investigators to bring about surface attachment and multi-layer interactions of these thin film systems. Next we review the wide range of recent applications of the technique to: studies of complex biochemical and biomimetic systems, the creation of protein and nucleic acid biosensors, studies of attached living cells and whole cell biosensor applications. Finally, we discuss future technical directions and applications of the QCM technique to areas such as drug discovery.

Properties and biocompatibility of chitosan films modified by blending with PEG

Chitosan (beta-1,4-D-glucosamine), a polysaccharide with excellent biological properties, has been widely used in biomedical fields, but many barriers still exist to its broader usage due to its chemical and physical limitations. Further work is needed to improve these properties, but changes of the chemical and physical properties will influence its biocompatibility, so the biological attribute of modified chitosan must be evaluated. In this study, the biocompatibility of chitosan modified by several methods was carefully evaluated at the cellular and protein levels using different physical and biological methods. The results provide a theoretical basis for screening biomaterials. We studied the properties of five kinds of materials made by blending chitosan with different types of polyethylene glycol (PEG). The properties included physical and chemical properties, such as mechanical strength, static contact angle, spectroscopy, thermodynamic attributes and so on. The mechanical properties were slightly improved with the proper amount of PEG, but the improvement was not obvious and was destroyed by the wrong proportion of PEG. Cultures of the cells and amounts and structures of the adsorbed proteins on different materials showed that the PEG effectively improved the biocompatibility of the materials. The PEG enhanced the protein adsorption, cell adhesion, growth and proliferation, but the effects were impaired by excessive PEG. The experiments also demonstrated that the optimum PEG concentration helped to maintain the natural structure of the protein adsorbed on the materials and that maintaining the natural structure benefited cell growth. Analysis of the results based on the intramolecular and intermolecular interaction forces leads to a basic theory for the modification of biomaterials.

The Effect of Fluid Shear Stress on Endothelial Cell Adhesiveness to Polymer Surfaces with Wettability Gradient

In this study, the adhesive strength of endothelial cells (ECs) attached on polymer surfaces with different hydrophilicity was investigated using wettability gradient polyethylene (PE) surfaces prepared by corona discharge treatment from a knife-type electrode whose power increases gradually along the sample length. The EC-attached wettability gradient surfaces were mounted on parallel-plate flow chambers in a flow system prepared for cell adhesiveness test. Three different shear stresses (150, 200, and 250 dyne/cm(2)) were applied to the flow chambers and each shear stress was maintained for 120 min to investigate the effect of shear stress and surface hydrophilicity on the EC adhesion strength. It was observed that the ECs were adhered more onto the positions with moderate hydrophilicity of the wettability gradient surface than onto the more hydrophobic or hydrophilic positions. The maximum adhesion of the cells appeared at around water contact angles of 55 degrees. The EC adhesion strength was higher on the hydrophilic positions than on the hydrophobic ones. However, the maximum adhesion strength of the cells also appeared at around water contact angles of 55 degrees. More than 90% of the adhered cells remained on that position after applying the shear stress, 250 dyne/cm(2) for 2 h, whereas the cells were completely detached on the hydrophobic position (water contact angle, about 86 degrees ) within 10 min after applying the same shear stress. It seems that surface hydrophilicity plays a very important role for cell adhesion strength. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.

Interaction of Different Types of Cells on Polymer Surfaces with Wettability Gradient

Gradient surfaces whose properties are changed gradually along the sample length are of particular interest for basic studies of the interaction between biological species and surfaces since the effect of a selected property can be examined in a single experiment on one surface. We prepared a wettability gradient on low density polyethylene (PE) sheets by treating them in air with the corona from a knife-type electrode whose power increases gradually along the sample length. The PE surfaces oxidized gradually with the increasing corona power, and the wettability gradient was created on the surfaces as evidenced by the measurement of water contact angles, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy in the attenuated total reflectance mode, and electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis. The wettability gradient surfaces prepared were used to investigate the interaction of different types of cells (Chinese hamster ovary, fibroblast, and endothelial cells) as well as serum proteins in terms of the surface hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity of polymeric materials. The cells adhered and grown on the gradient surface along the sample length were counted and observed by scanning electron microscopy. It was observed that the cells were adhered, spread, and grown more onto the positions with moderate hydrophilicity of the wettability gradient surface than onto the more hydrophobic or hydrophilic positions. The maximum adhesion and growth of the cells appeared at around water contact angles of 55 degrees, regardless of the cell types used. This result seems closely related to the serum protein adsorption on the surfaces; the serum proteins were also adsorbed more onto the positions with moderate hydrophilicity of the wettability gradient surface. Copyright 1998 Academic Press.