SELECTIVE NEURONAL CELL ATTACHMENT TO A COVALENTLY PATTERNED MONOAMINE ON FLUORINATED ETHYLENE-PROPYLENE FILMS

The patterned covalent surface addition of a monoamine to fluorinated ethylene propylene films (FEP) controls both cellular attachment and d ifferentiation in defined media conditions. A radio frequency glow dis charge (RFGD) process was used to replace FEP surface fluorine atoms w ith hydroxyl groups. The primary amine was then covalently attached by polymerizing aminopropyl-triethoxysilane (APTES) via the hydroxyl fun ctionalities. The selective attachment of cells to the APTES regions w as determined to be dependent upon the initial adsorption of albumin t o the patterned FEP membrane. Albumin was determined to enhance cellul ar attachment to the APTES regions and prevent attachment to the unmod ified FEP areas for both an NB2a neuroblastoma cell line and primary r at endothelial cells. If albumin were not preadsorbed onto the membran e, selective attachment to the modified regions would not occur. Radio -labeling albumin with I-125 demonstrated the preference of albumin fo r adsorption onto the monoamine surface where the cells preferentially attached. Both hydrophobic and ionic forces contributed to the adsorp tion process. Although selective cellular attachment to the patterned APTES regions could be achieved by albumin preadsorption to the surfac e, the neuroblastoma cells did not significantly differentiate unless additional serum components were supplemented to the media.