Adhesion behaviours of hepatocytes cultured onto biodegradable polymer surface modified by alkali hydrolysis process

Rat hepatocytes were cultured onto the surface of various amorphous biodegradable polymers composed of lactic acid and glycolic acid which were partially surface hydrolyzed by treating with sodium hydroxide. The polymer surface progressively became more hydrophilic with increasing NaOH treatment time, which was confirmed by measuring water contact angles and XPS results. The number of hepatocytes attached onto the NaOH treated hydrophilic surfaces was greater than that of the non-treated control surface. The extent of hepatocytes adhesion onto the surface-modified poly(D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid, 85/15) depended on the NaOH treatment time. Under the optimal conditions of lactic/glycolic composition in the polymer and the surface hydrolysis time, the adhesion of hepatocytes were comparable or even better than the collagen-coated biodegradable polymer surface used as a control.