THE ATTACHMENT, SPREADING AND GROWTH OF BABY HAMSTER-KIDNEY CELLS ON COLLAGEN, CHEMICALLY MODIFIED COLLAGEN AND COLLAGEN-COMPOSITE SUBSTRATA

Various replicates of collagen substrata were prepared to study the at tachment, growth and spreading of baby hamster kidney (BHK) cells. Cel l attachment was measured in both the presence and absence of serum. S preading and growth did not occur in the absence of serum. Attachment to fibrous collagen was less than that found with glass, rat-tail tend on collagen or films prepared from pepsin-solubilized collagen (PS-col lagen). Incorporation of hyaluronate, heparin and protamine sulphate i nto the fibrous collagen and the acetylation of fibrous collagen had l ittle effect. However, incorporation of chondroitin sulphate or chemic al modification of fibrous collagen by either methylation or succinyla tion increased BHK cell attachment. In the absence of serum, the attac hment to collagen, acetylated collagen and collagen composites was red uced. The reduction in attachment was marked with fibrous collagen and gelatin films, but less so with collagen composites, acetylated colla gen, rat-tail tendon and PS-collagen films. Interestingly, attachment to succinylated collagen and methylated collagen was largely unaffecte d by the absence of serum, and possible reasons for this are discussed . Cell shape measurements showed decreased spreading of BHK cells on c hemically modified collagen films, especially on gelatin films and dri ed PS-collagen gels. Cell shape and spreading on PS-collagen, rat-tail tendon collagen and collagen-composite films was found to be similar to that on fibrous collagen. BHK cell growth on fibrous collagen, chem ically modified collagens, collagen composites, rat-tail tendon and PS -collagen films was similar to that found on plastic tissue culture su bstrata. Denaturation of fibrous collagen resulted in decreased growth , and BHK cell growth was markedly reduced on PS-collagen gels and dri ed gels.