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ppHEMA-modified silicone rubber film towards improving rabbit corneal epithelial cell attachment and growth
1Department of Chemical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan ROC.
Abstract:
A plasma polymerized HEMA (ppHEMA) film was prepared by plasma deposition polymerization onto an elastic material, silicone rubber. The surfaces of control, argon plasma-treated, and ppHEMA-modified silicone rubber were characterized by ESCA, FTIR-ATR and SEM techniques. ESCA verified the respective chemical shift of control and ppHEMA-modified films. The presence of the ppHEMA was also verified by ESCA. The introduction of ppHEMA onto a hydrophobic support provided an adequate surface for rabbit corneal epithelial cell attachment and growth. Cell attachment and growth onto these surfaces were examined by light microscopy. Cell attachment onto the control and the argon plasma-treated surface was negligible, while improved attachment and growth of rabbit corneal epithelium cells was demonstrated on the ppHEMA-modified polymeric surface. The ppHEMA-modified silicone rubber surface demonstrated a confluent cell layer after 72 h.