ATTACHMENT OF HUMAN KERATINOCYTES TO PLASMA COPOLYMERS OF ACRYLIC-ACID OCTA-1,7-DIENE AND ALLYL AMINE OCTA-1,7-DIENE

Plasma co-polymers (PCPs) of acrylic acid/octa-1,7-diene and allyl ami ne/octa-1,7-diene have been prepared and characterised using X-ray pho toelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The use of a hydrocarbon diluent in the monomer feed allowed the deposition of films with controlled concentr ations of carboxylic acid and nitrogen-containing functional groups. H uman keratinocytes were cultured on these PCP surfaces, tissue culture poly(styrene) (TCPS) and collagen I. The level of keratinocyte attach ment over 24 h was measured. PCP surfaces containing low concentration s of carboxylic acid groups (2.3%) were found to promote keratinocyte attachment. The performance of these PCPs was similar to collagen I, a well established substratum for attachment. Nitrogen-containing PCP s urfaces were found to promote attachment at higher functional group co ncentrations, although the attachment did not attain the level achieve d on the acid functionalised PCP surfaces.