Biofunctionalized Porous POMaC Films Promote Cell Adhesion and Infiltration for Tissue Interfaces

Soft, bioresorbable interfaces that support tissue integration while maintaining ionic/electrical signal transmission remain an important materials challenge for tissue-integrating bioelectronic scaffolds. Here, we report the fabrication and evaluation of a planar and porous poly(octamethylene maleate (anhydride) citrate) (POMaC) (dfilm∼ 250-350 μm) and evaluate how porosity and surface biofunctionalization affect cell interactions and electrical signal transmission through the material. Using sacrificial porogens, we produced porous POMaC films with tunable and interconnected pore architectures (dpore from 10 to 120 μm), including bilayer structures comprising a porous, tissue-facing region and a dense supporting layer. Human dermal fibroblasts (HDFns) and induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (iPSC-CMs) demonstrated robust adhesion and viability on both planar and porous POMaC, and porous films supported cellular penetration into the film thickness and multicellular clustering within the porous network. Bioadhesive surface coatings (i.e., gelatin, RGD-containing peptide, and laminin) enhanced cell adhesion and spreading, with laminin affording superior iPSC-CM adhesion and spreading relative to uncoated films. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and electrical stimulation measurements showed that the integration of POMaC films between interdigitated gold electrodes and physiological electrolyte resulted in modest impedance changes compared to bare electrodes, indicating preserved ionic coupling under these test conditions. Notably, porous POMaC films exhibited improved signal preservation relative to non-porous counterparts, consistent with increased ionic accessibility and effective electrode-electrolyte coupling. Collectively, these results support biofunctionalized porous POMaC as a promising bioresorbable interface material that supports 3D cell penetration while enabling electrical signal transmission, motivating future validation in application-relevant bioelectronic sensing formats.