Plasma-Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition of n-Heptane and Methyl Methacrylate for Potential Cell Alignment Applications

Plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposited polymers (plasma polymers) are promising candidates for biomaterials applications. In the present study, plasma deposition as a fast and easily scalable method was adapted to deposit coatings from n-heptane and methyl methacrylate monomers onto glass substrates. Linear patterns with line and groove widths between 1.25 and 160 μm were introduced by degrative UV-lithography for cell alignment. Differential interference contrast optical microscopy, profilometry and atomic force microscopy revealed that the patterned surfaces had a smooth, homogeneous appearance and a pattern height of 8 and 45 nm for plasma deposited n-heptane and methyl methacrylate, respectively. UV-lithography increased the oxygen content on the surface drastically as shown by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. After immersion in simulated body fluid for 21 days, the pattern was still intact, and the ester groups were also maintained for the most part as shown by infrared spectroscopy. To test the coatings' potential applicability for biomaterial surfaces in a preliminary experiment, we cultured murine preosteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells on these coatings. Light and electron microscopically, a normal spindle-shaped and aligned cell morphology was observed. At the mRNA level, cells showed no signs of diminished proliferation or elevated expression of apoptosis markers. In conclusion, plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposited polymers can be patterned with a fast and feasible method and might be suitable materials to guide cell alignment.