Interaction of parylene C with biological objects

The aim of the present work was to examine the interactions of parylene C with such selected biological objects as: blood plasma proteins, platelets, endothelial cells, and bacterial biofilm produced by E. coli cells. The results obtained strongly support the thesis that parylene C is a material worth considering for biomedical use. Parylene C coating on polished medical steel significantly reduces platelet adhesion to this surface. On the other hand, in the case of the surface of machined medical steel coated with parylene C, the number of adhered platelets is significantly higher. This also means that surface texture of substrate material is very well reproduced by parylene C coating and is an important factor facilitating the platelet adhesion. Adsorption of plasma proteins at parylene C surface is very effective, and this finding confirms a notion that cell interaction with surfaces is mediated by the adsorbed proteins. In the light of the above, a high susceptibility of parylene C surface to bacterial colonization is easy to explain. The results showing reduced proliferation and changes in endothelial cell gene expression should also be seriously analysed when parylene C is considered for the use in contact with blood vessels.