SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF FLUOROPOLYMERIC SUBSTRATA WITH IMMOBILIZED MINIMAL PEPTIDE SEQUENCES FOR CELL-ADHESION STUDIES .1.

In this work, poly(tetrafluoroethylene-co-hexafluoropropyl ene) (also known as fluorinated ethylene propylene; FEP) was functionalized at th e surface using a radio frequency glow discharge plasma. This particul ar surface modification produced controlled densities of hydroxyl func tionality on the FEP surface. These surface hydroxyl groups provided s ites for the covalent attachment of minimal peptide sequences, that ar e specific for neuronal attachment. FSCA, ATR-FTIR, ToF-SIMS, and fluo rescence spectroscopy were used to evaluate peptide reaction efficienc ies and to verify that intact peptide sequences were covalently attach ed to the FEP surfaces. These modified substrata were then used to stu dy the cell attachment and response to covalently bound minimal peptid e sequences. Cell attachment and differentiation results using NG108-1 5 and PC12 neuronal cell lines are presented in the adjoining paper by Ranieri et al. (C) 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.