Adhesion of human peripheral blood lymphocytes is dependent on surface wettability and protein preadsorption

The influence of surface wettability and preadsorption of plasma proteins on cell adhesion was studied using human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL). Hydrophilic glass and hydrophobic octadecyl glass were used as model surfaces with known wettability. The adhesion of PBL was investigated under non-flow conditions that are considered as a model for the adhesion of migrating lymphocytes in the tissue. Furthermore, adhering lymphocytes were exposed to increasing shear forces to investigate the detachment under laminar flow conditions to simulate the situation during blood flow. The proteins used in this study were attachment proteins such as fibrinogen, fibronectin and vitronectin. Human serum albumin was used as a control. It was found under both conditions (static and dynamic) that PBL adhesion was strongly influenced by the wettability of the surfaces. Furthermore, it was shown that the properties of the underlying surface influenced the interaction between preadsorbed attachment proteins and PBL.