The effect of fluid shear stress on endothelial cell adhesiveness to polymer surfaces with wettability gradient

In this study, the adhesive strength of endothelial cells (ECs) attached on polymer surfaces with different hydrophilicity was investigated using wettability gradient polyethylene (PE) surfaces prepared by corona discharge treatment from a knife-type electrode whose power increases gradually along the sample length. The EC-attached wettability gradient surfaces were mounted on parallel-plate flow chambers in a flow system prepared for cell adhesiveness test. Three different shear stresses (150, 200, and 250 dyne/cm²) were applied to the flow chambers and each shear stress was maintained for 120 min to investigate the effect of shear stress and surface hydrophilicity on the EC adhesion strength. It was observed that the ECs were adhered more onto the positions with moderate hydrophilicity of the wettability gradient surface than onto the more hydrophobic or hydrophilic positions. The maximum adhesion of the cells appeared at around water contact angles of 55°. The EC adhesion strength was higher on the hydrophilic positions than on the hydrophobic ones. However, the maximum adhesion strength of the cells also appeared at around water contact angles of 55°. More than 90% of the adhered cells remained on that position after applying the shear stress, 250 dyne/cm² for 2 h, whereas the cells were completely detached on the hydrophobic position (water contact angle, about 86°) within 10 min after applying the same shear stress. It seems that surface hydrophilicity plays a very important role for cell adhesion strength. (C) 2000 Academic Press.