FIBROBLAST GROWTH ON POLYMER SURFACES AND BIOSYNTHESIS OF COLLAGEN

The growth and morphology of rat fibroblasts cultured on various polym er substrates, as well as their collagen biosynthesis, were studied. A clear difference in cell growth and cell morphology was observed amon g the substrates. The dependence of cell growth on the water contact a ngle of substrate was similar to that of the adhesion. Fibroblasts cou ld proliferate at the highest rate and showed the highest-ordered morp hology when cultured on the substrate with a contact angle around 70 d egrees, which was also the most favorable for cell adhesion. The amoun t of collagen synthesized by total cells and of adsorption of the synt hesized collagen to substrates were in good correlation with the cell growth dependence on the contact angle of substrate, whereas the colla gen synthesis per cell was more active on the surfaces poor for cell g rowth than on the good ones. Cells on surfaces promoting active collag en synthesis had a round shape and clustered upon each other. The coll agen-immobilized surface had nearly the highest cell adhesion, high ce ll proliferation, and high collagen adsorption among the substrates st udied. In addition, the highest-ordered morphology and no lag time for proliferation were observed for the collagen-immobilized surface. The se results indicate that the collagen-immobilized substrate provides t he most favorable surface for cell growth at the initial stage. (C) 19 94 John Wiley and Sons, Inc.