Selenium-decorated biocompatible honeycomb films with redox-switchable surface for controlling cell...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Biomaterials Engineering
• Surface Chemistry

Background:

• Selenium compounds exhibit redox-sensitive hydrophobic-hydrophilic transitions.
• Honeycomb films offer unique surface architectures for material functionalization.
• Controlling surface wettability is crucial for managing cell behavior on biomaterials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To create a redox-switchable honeycomb film with tunable surface wettability.
• To investigate the effect of selenium incorporation on film properties and biocompatibility.
• To demonstrate the controlled adhesion and detachment of cells on the functionalized film.

Main Methods:

• Didodecyl selenide was incorporated into polystyrene to fabricate honeycomb films via the breath figure method.
• Film microstructure and selenium atom distribution were analyzed using SEM, AFM, XPS, and EDS.
• Surface wettability changes were induced by alternating hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and vitamin C (Vc) treatments.
• Cell adhesion, proliferation, and detachment were evaluated on the prepared films.

Main Results:

• Ordered honeycomb films were successfully fabricated with selenium integrated into the structure.
• The selenium-containing films demonstrated enhanced biocompatibility by improving cell thioredoxin reductase activity.
• The film's wettability was reversibly tuned by H2O2 (hydrophilic, promoting cell adhesion) and Vc (hydrophobic, enabling cell detachment).
• Cells remained viable and active after detachment from the hydrophobic surface.

Conclusions:

• Selenium-containing honeycomb films possess redox-switchable wettability.
• This tunable surface property effectively controls cell adhesion and detachment.
• The developed material shows promise for applications requiring dynamic cell-surface interactions.