HUMAN ENDOTHELIAL-CELL GROWTH AND COAGULANT FUNCTION VARIES WITH RESPECT TO INTERFACIAL PROPERTIES OF POLYMERIC SUBSTRATES

The in vitro coagulant function of human aortic endothelial cells (HAE Cs) was investigated when grown on a series of polymer surfaces that r anged from hydrophobic to hydrophilic. The polymer interface materials were prepared by radiofrequency plasma polymerization from hexamethyl disilazane, gamma-butyrolactone, and N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone and deposit ed onto tissue culture Permanox. The three plasma polymers were noncyt otoxic. When precoated with fibronectin (FN), HAECs on all four polyme r surfaces were similar with respect to cell proliferation and coagula nt function. Without FN precoating, cell proliferation and spreading i ncreased with increasing surface hydrophilicity. Normalized production of tissue-type plasminogen activator increased with increasing hydrop hilicity of the polymers during early incubation times, as did tissue plasminogen activator/plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 ratios. In com parison, normalized von Willebrand factor release decreased on the mor e hydrophilic surfaces. Thus, both endothelial cell growth and some co agulant/fibrinolytic functions are improved with increasing substrate hydrophilicity. (C) 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.