Attachment of cells to poly(styrene-co-acrylic acid) thin films with various charge densities

Adsorption and growth behaviors of fibroblast cells have been studied on poly(styrene-ran-acrylic acid) (PS-y-AA) films with four different degrees of charge contents (y = 0%, 5.6%, 10.0%, and 15.3%) and tissue culture polystyrene (TCPS). The structures and adsorption behavior of fibroblast cells were found to be quite different as a function of charge density. As the degree of charge density of PS-y-AA is increased, more cell adhesion and proliferation were observed. However, there was no significant difference in the adsorption of fibroblast cells in the absence of serum, indicating that serum proteins may play a critical role in the adhesion of cells to carboxylic acid groups.