Adsorbed serum albumin is permissive to macrophage attachment to perfluorocarbon polymer surfaces in culture

Abstract Monocyte/macrophage adhesion to biomaterials, correlated with foreign body response, occurs through protein‐mediated surface interactions. Albumin‐selective perfluorocarbon (FC) biomaterials are generally poorly cell‐conducive because of insufficient receptor‐mediated surface interactions, but macrophages bind to albumin‐coated substrates and also preferentially to highly hydrophobic fluorinated surfaces. Bone marrow macrophages (BMMO) and IC‐21, RAW 264.7, and J774A.1 monocyte/macrophage cells were cultured on FC surfaces. Protein deposition onto two distinct FC surfaces from complex and single‐component solutions was tracked using fluorescence and time‐of‐flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF‐SIMS) methods. Cell adhesion and growth on protein pretreated substrates were compared by light microscopy. Flow cytometry and integrin‐directed antibody receptor blocking were used to assess integrins critical for monocyte/macrophage adhesion in vitro. Albumin predominantly adsorbs onto both FC surfaces from 10% serum. In cultures preadsorbed with albumin or serum‐dilutions, BMMO responded similar to IC‐21 at early time points. Compared with Teflon® AF, plasma‐polymerized FC was less permissive to extended cell proliferation. The β₂ integrins play major roles in macrophage adhesion to FC surfaces: antibody blocking significantly disrupted cell adhesion. Albumin‐mediated cell adhesion mechanisms to FC surfaces could not be clarified. Primary BMMO and secondary IC‐21 macrophages behave similarly on FC surfaces, regardless of preadsorbed protein biasing, with respect to adhesion, cell morphology, motility, and proliferation. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 2009