Surface properties and cell-surface interaction of polystyrene-graft-poly (2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate)

In this study, to create appropriate surface features facilitating cell -material interactions, untreated culture dishes were modified via ultraviolet ozone (UVO)-induced graft polymerization. Using this easy and potentially nontoxic approach, poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) was grafted onto the surface of polystyrene (PS). The modified surfaces were characterized through attenuated total reflectance Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and water contact angle measurements. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were subsequently employed to investigate the morphology of the grafted polymer on the surface. Furthermore, these films were subjected to in vitro evaluations, where cell adhesion and proliferation were investigated using mouse fibroblast (NIH3T3) cells. The modified surfaces exhibited a substantial improvement in cell viability, cell adhesion, and proliferation compared to the untreated culture dishes. The outcomes showed the successful grafting of PHEMA onto UVO-pretreated PS surfaces; the effect of storage time of the modified substrates showed that after 40 days of storage under air and wet conditions, the modified substrates had a stable wettability. The cell behavior studies represented a successful approach for developing a biocompatible platform with the ability for long-term cultivation, while also maintaining surface structural stability when exposed to the biological environment.