Effect of porosity and surface hydrophilicity on migration of epithelial tissue over synthetic polymer

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Abstract
The relative effects of porosity and surface chemistry on the migration of epithelial tissue over the surface of a polymer were determined in vitro. These studies compared nonporous polymers with those having 0.1-μm diameter track-etched pores and were conducted on polycarbonate and polyester. Epithelial tissue migration over the polymer surface was stimulated by the presence of these pores. The surface chemistries of the polymers were modified by deposition of various polymer films using radio frequency gas deposition, giving a range of surfaces that varied in air:water sessile contact angle (SCA) of between 26 and 100°. Tissue migration on the nonporous surfaces was affected by the surface chemistry, being generally linear as a function of the SCA and higher on hydrophilic than on hydrophobic surfaces but reduced if the hydrophilic surface had a mobile chemistry. The effects of the 0.1-μm diameter pores and the surface hydrophilicity were additive with the maximal level of epithelial tissue migration occurring on a porous, hydrophilic polymer surface. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 50, 475–482, 2000.