Modulation of marrow stromal cell function using poly(D,L-lactic acid)-block-poly(ethylene glycol)-monomethyl ether surfaces

The adhesion of marrow stromal osteoblasts and the adsorption of fetal bovi ne serum (FBS) proteins to end-capped poly(D,L-lactic acid) 50:50 (PLA50) o f molecular weight 17,009 (PLA50(17)), non-encapped PLA50 of molecular weig ht 11,000 (PLA50(11h)), and a diblock copolymer made of poly(ethylene glyco l)-monomethyl ether of molecular weight 5,000 and PLA50 of molecular weight 20,000 (Me.PEG5-PLA20) were investigated. Cell attachment and proliferatio n on both PLA50 polymers were equally good. The block copolymer did not all ow the proliferation of cells. However, the attached cells were highly diff erentiated and metabolically active in,contrast to the cells on PLA50. More over, surface analysis:studies using electron spectroscopy revealed;that FB S proteins adsorbed well from aqueous solutions to the PLA50 surfaces while they adsorbed substantially less to the block copolymer. These results sug gest that Me.PEG-PLA block copolymers may be used to regulate protein adsor ption and, therefore, cell adhesion by varying the block composition of the copolymer, (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 46, 390-39 8,1999.