Change in cell adhesion property on cytocompatible interface using phospholipid polymer grafted with poly(D,L-lactic acid)segment for tissue engineering

Tissue engineering is a multi-disciplinary science that utilizes basic principles from materials engineering and molecular biology to reconstruct tissues from polymer matrices and cellular components. Artificial skins were well known as one of the concrete examples. Technological innovation of the tissue engineering must be contributed to improve quality of life. From the viewpoint, design of cytocompatible materials for tissue engineering would be the most important candidate to reconstruct tissue. 2-Methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC), n-butyl methacrylate, and polylactic acid (PLA) macromonomer were polymerized for the preparation of cytocompatible interface. The polymer may involve following novel properties: (i) cytocompatibility by phospholipid groups, and (ii) enhancement of cell adhesion by PLA segment. The results of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy showed the MPC unit and PLA segment on the membrane, which was prepared by dip coating. The surface mobility by contacting water was estimated with static contact angle measurement. The contact angle by water decreased after contact with water due to the chain rearrangement of hydrophilic MPC unit. Fibroblast cells adhesion and protein adsorption on the membranes were studied. The number of cell adhesion and cell proliferation on the membrane was well correlated with each other. Furthermore, the number of cell adhesion was proportional to the PLA macromonomer (MaPLA) composition. The adherent cell morphology showed round shape, because of the existence of MPC unit. However, the cell morphology would be spread after the cell proliferation. These findings suggest that the change in the polymer composition by combination of MPC and MaPLA could regulate the number of cell adhesion and the morphology.