Effects of laser-modified polystyrene substrate on CHO cell growth and alignment

Biomaterial surface chemistry and nanoscale topography of biomaterials can significantly influence cell behavior in vitro. Polystyrene (PS) Petri dishes were subjected to Nd:YAG laser irradiation at 266 nm, which resulted in well-defined three-dimensional (3D) periodic nanoscale surface topographies and surface oxidation. The surface changes were analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and a contact-angle goniometer. The samples were then used to investigate the cell behavior of Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. The surface laser modification affected the CHO cell adhesion and alignment, and caused morphological changes in comparison with unmodified PS. The results obtained from the cell-behavior studies revealed that nanoscale hydrophilic surface topography cues affected the adhesion, extension, alignment, and morphology of cells.