IN-VITRO STUDY OF THE INTRINSIC TOXICITY OF SYNTHETIC SURFACES TO CELLS

A trypan blue inclusion assay was used to measure cell death on poly(d imethyl siloxane) (PDMS), polyethylene (PE), poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), polyurethanes, glass, and glow-discharge-treated polystyrene or poly(ethylene terephthalate). Cell lines used were bovine aortic en dothelial, 3T3, mouse peritoneal macrophage, and BHK cells. In the abs ence of proteins in the media, PDMS, PE, PMMA, and some polyurethanes were consistently found to induce cell death. This toxic effect disapp eared if the cells were seeded in serum-containing medium or if concen trated solutions of proteins (albumin, IgG, or fibronectin) were pread sorbed on the materials. The substrate toxicity appeared to be due to the physical properties of the substrate and not to the release of tox ic leachables. (C) 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.