title: A new plasma-based method to promote cell adhesion on micrometric tracks on polystyrene substrates.
abstract: A new procedure has been developed in order to obtain heterogeneous polymer surfaces for the promotion of cell adhesion. For this purpose, a microelectronic photosensitive resin was spin coated on polystyrene (PS) substrates. The resin was then submitted to UV light irradiation through a mask and partially developed. The sample was further submitted to a plasma oxygen discharge prior to dissolution of the remaining resin. The characterization by time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF SIMS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and dynamic contact angle (DCA) allowed us to conclude that hydrophilic paths were created on the more hydrophobic PS substrate together with the complete removal of the resin. In order to optimize cell adhesion contrast, the modified surfaces were then conditioned with a solution containing both a surfactant (pluronic F68) and a protein. Two different proteins were tested (collagen I and fibronectin). PC12 cell cultures on those conditioned surfaces showed that cell adhesion occurs only on the hydrophilic tracks. ToF SIMS spectra and images recorded on those substrates revealed the presence of the proteins only in the hydrophilic tracks. In the same time, the surfactant is suspected to adsorb mainly on the hydrophobic areas of the samples.
authors.affiliation: Unité de Physico-Chimie et de Physique des Matériaux (PCPM), Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-La Neuve, Belgium.
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Lhoest
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Detrait
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Dewez
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: van den Bosch de Aguilar
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bertrand
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000502:physiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000378:metabolism; D010100:Oxygen / Q000737:chemistry; D016716:PC12 Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D011060:Poloxalene / Q000737:chemistry; D011137:Polystyrenes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000528:radiation effects; D051381:Rats; D018629:Spectrometry, Mass, Secondary Ion; D013052:Spectrometry, X-Ray Emission; D013499:Surface Properties; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000378:metabolism; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
chemical_list: D005353:Fibronectins; D011137:Polystyrenes; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; D011060:Poloxalene; D003094:Collagen; D010100:Oxygen