title: Polymer films with surfaces unmodified and modified by non-thermal plasma as new substrates for cell adhesion.
abstract: The surface properties of biomaterials, such as wettability, polar group distribution, and topography, play important roles in the behavior of cell adhesion and proliferation. Gaseous plasma discharges are among the most common means to modify the surface of a polymer without affecting its properties. Herein, we describe the surface modification of poly(styrene) (PS) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) films using atmospheric pressure plasma processing through exposure to a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD). After treatment the film surface showed significant changes from hydrophobic to hydrophilic as the water contact angle decreasing from 95° to 37°. All plasma-treated films developed more hydrophilic surfaces compared to untreated films, although the reasons for the change in the surface properties of PS and PMMA differed, that is, the PS showed chemical changes and in the case of PMMA they were topographical. Excellent adhesion and cell proliferation were observed in all films. In vitro studies employing flow cytometry showed that the proliferation of L929 cells was higher in the film formed by a 1:1 mixture of PS/PMMA, which is consistent with the results of a previous study. These findings suggest better adhesion of L929 onto the 1:1 PS/PMMA modified film, indicating that this system is a new candidate biomaterial for tissue engineering.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Federal University of Santa Catarina, 88040-900 Florianopolis, Brazil.
authors.forename: A M G
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Borges
authors.forename: L O
authors.initials: LO
authors.lastname: Benetoli
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Licínio
authors.forename: V C
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Zoldan
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Santos-Silva
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Assreuy
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Pasa
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Debacher
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Soldi
mesh_terms: D000165:Acridine Orange / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D004560:Electricity; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D051379:Mice; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D058626:Plasma Gases / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011137:Polystyrenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013816:Thermodynamics; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry; D017155:Wettability / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D058626:Plasma Gases; D011137:Polystyrenes; D014867:Water; D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate; D000165:Acridine Orange
keywords: Cell proliferation; L929 fibroblasts; Non-thermal plasma; Poly(methyl methacrylate); Poly(styrene)