Lab-on-a-chip-compatible graphene oxide coatings via SAW atomization for supporting cell proliferation.

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Surface Chemistry
• Cell Biology

Background:

• Substrate properties significantly influence cell behavior, impacting the development of microfabricated biological devices.
• Graphene oxide (GO) is a promising material for surface modification due to its unique properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effect of graphene oxide (GO) film coatings on in vitro fibroblast proliferation.
• To compare GO-coated glass and gold substrates with standard tissue culture-treated plates.
• To evaluate GO films produced by surface acoustic wave (SAW) atomization.

Main Methods:

• Fibroblast monolayers were cultured on GO-modified and unmodified glass and gold substrates.
• Proliferation kinetics were analyzed using a linear approximation of the logistic equation.
• Growth rate and carrying capacity were determined for various substrate conditions.

Main Results:

• GO deposition enhanced fibroblast attachment and proliferation on both glass and gold substrates.
• Thicker GO films restored cell growth rates and carrying capacity to levels comparable to tissue culture-treated plates.
• Bare substrates and thinner GO films exhibited reduced proliferation, indicating substrate-mediated inhibition.

Conclusions:

• Graphene oxide films produced via SAW atomization effectively enhance substrate biocompatibility.
• GO coatings increase surface hydrophilicity, making them suitable for lab-on-chip and microfabricated biological devices.
• The linear model accurately captures early proliferation kinetics and quantifies substrate-mediated effects.