RELATIVE IMPORTANCE OF SURFACE WETTABILITY AND CHARGED FUNCTIONAL-GROUPS ON NIH 3T3 FIBROBLAST ATTACHMENT, SPREADING, AND CYTOSKELETAL ORGANIZATION

Understanding the relationships between material surface properties, a dsorbed proteins, and cellular responses is essential to designing opt imal material surfaces for implantation and tissue engineering. In thi s study, we have prepared model surfaces with different functional gro ups to provide a range of surface wettability and charge. The cellular responses of attachment, spreading, and cytoskeletal organization hav e been studied following preadsorption of these surfaces with dilute s erum, specific serum proteins, and individual components of the extrac ellular matrix. When preadsorbed with dilute serum, cell attachment, s preading, and cytoskeletal organization were significantly greater on hydrophilic surfaces relative to hydrophobic surfaces. Among the hydro philic surfaces, differences in charge and wettability influenced cell attachment but not cell area, shape, or cytoskeletal organization. Mo derately hydrophilic surfaces (20-40 degree water contact angle) promo ted the highest levels of cell attachment. Preadsorption of the model surfaces with bovine serum albumin (BSA) resulted in a pattern of cell attachment very similar to that observed following preadsorption with dilute serum, suggesting an important role for BSA in regulating cell attachment to biomaterials exposed to complex biological media. (C) 1 998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.