title: Plasma polymer coated surfaces for serum-free culture of limbal epithelium for ocular surface disease.
abstract: The potential use of plasma polymer coatings as substrates for serum-free expansion of limbal epithelial cells was investigated. Preliminary studies using a human corneal epithelial cell line showed that acrylic acid-coated surfaces performed better than allyl amine and allyl alcohol coated surfaces in terms of cell metabolic activity and confluence as assessed using the MTT assay. Subsequently, the proliferation and maturity of primary human limbal epithelial cells in co-culture with growth arrested 3T3 fibroblasts on a range of acrylic acid plasma coated surfaces, octadiene plasma coated surfaces and tissue culture plastic was investigated using MTT and cytokeratin 3 immunostaining. The cells performed better in the presence of serum on all surfaces. However, the acrylic acid coated surfaces successfully sustained a serum-free fibroblast/epithelial cell co-culture. The metabolic activity of the epithelial cells was superior on the acrylic acid coated surfaces than on tissue culture plastic in serum-free conditions and their levels of differentiation were not significantly higher than in the presence of serum. These results suggest that these surfaces can be used successfully for the serum-free expansion of human limbal epithelial cells.
authors.affiliation: Cells for Sight Transplantation and Research Programme, Ocular Repair and Regeneration Biology Unit, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, 11-43 Bath Street, London, EC1V 9EL. m.notara@ucl.ac.uk
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Notara
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Bullett
authors.forename: Palavi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Deshpande
authors.forename: David B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Haddow
authors.forename: Sheila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: MacNeil
authors.forename: Julie T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Daniels
mesh_terms: D016475:3T3 Cells; D000042:Absorption; D000179:Acrylates / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible / Q000737:chemistry*; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D003460:Crystallization / Q000379:methods; D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free; D019573:Epithelium, Corneal / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*; D006358:Hot Temperature; D008422:Materials Testing; D051379:Mice; D010316:Particle Size; D016062:Porosity; D013499:Surface Properties; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D000179:Acrylates; D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible; D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free; C036658:acrylic acid