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Tunable hydrogel thin films from reactive synthetic polymers as potential two-dimensional cell scaffolds
Laurent J Goujon1, Santosh Hariharan2, Bahareh Sayyar1
1†Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4M1, Canada.
Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids
|April 25, 2015
Summary
Researchers created tunable polymer hydrogel films by layering reactive polymers. These cross-linked films can be modified to promote cell adhesion or prevent fouling, offering versatile surface properties for biomedical applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Polymer Chemistry
- Biomaterials Engineering
Background:
- Developing advanced polymer hydrogels is crucial for creating functional biomaterials.
- Tailoring surface properties of hydrogels impacts cell interactions and material performance.
- Multilayer film fabrication offers precise control over material architecture.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a method for creating cross-linked polymer hydrogel films with tunable surface properties.
- To investigate the relationship between polymer composition and film mechanical and surface characteristics.
- To demonstrate the utility of these films as adhesion-promoting or antifouling surfaces for specific cell types.
Main Methods:
- Alternating spin-coating of poly(methyl vinyl ether-alt-maleic anhydride) (PMM) and poly(N-3-aminopropylmethacrylamide-co-N-2-hydroxypropylmethacrylamide) (PAPMx) from organic solutions.
- In-situ cross-linking via reaction between amine and anhydride groups during multilayer film formation.
- Post-functionalization of films with various molecules (e.g., fluoresceinamine, decylamine) and hydrolysis in aqueous buffer.
- Characterization of film properties including water contact angle, Young's modulus, and cell adhesion/fouling behavior.
Main Results:
- Successfully fabricated cross-linked multilayer hydrogel films (10-200 nm thick) with tunable hydrophobicity (contact angles 5-90°).
- Increasing aminopropylmethacrylamide (APM) content in PAPMx enhanced film stiffness (Young's modulus 300-700 kPa).
- Post-functionalization enabled the creation of surfaces that either promoted adhesion or resisted fouling for C2C12 and MCF 10A cells.
Conclusions:
- The described method allows for the facile fabrication of tunable polymer hydrogel films.
- The resulting films offer versatile surface properties adaptable for specific biomedical applications.
- These functionalized multilayer films show promise for controlling cell behavior on material surfaces.
