BEHAVIOR OF CHO CELLS ON PHOSPHATED CELLULOSE MEMBRANES

Phosphate groups (negatively charged chemical groups) were grafted ont o the surface of cellulose membranes by a reaction between hydroxyl gr oups of cellulose and phosphorus pentoxide to observe the effect of ph osphate groups on cellular behavior. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was used to determine phosphorylation. Captive bubble contact an gle measurement was used to determine surface wettability. XPS was als o used to analyze serum protein adsorption. Chinese hamster ovary (CHO ) cells were maintained in Ham's F-12 nutrient mixture with and withou t fetal calf serum. Total cell area and shape factor were analyzed usi ng image-analyzing software. Serum proteins showed higher adsorption o n phosphated cellulose. Cell spreading on phosphated membranes was gre ater than on the cellulose membrane that served as control. The cell g rowth rate was faster compared to the control. Large cell aggregates w ere not found on the phosphated membranes, in contrast to the control membrane. The cells on the control were aggregated regardless of the e xistence of divalent cations in the medium. (C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons , Inc.