Relationships among cell attachment, spreading, cytoskeletal organization, and migration rate for anchorage-dependent cells on model surfaces.

Many research and commercial applications use a synthetic substrate which is seeded with cells in a serum-containing medium. The surface properties of the material influence the composition of the adsorbed protein layer, which subsequently regulates a variety of cell behaviors such as attachment, spreading, proliferation, migration, and differentiation. In this study, we examined the relationships among cell attachment, spreading, cytoskeletal organization, and migration rate for MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts on glass surfaces modified with -SO(x), -NH(2), -N(+)(CH(3))(3), -SH, and -CH(3) terminal silanes. We also studied the relationship between cell spread area and migration rate for a variety of anchorage-dependent cell types on a model polymeric biomaterial, poly(acrylonitrile-vinylchloride). Our results indicated that MC3T3-E1 osteoblast behavior was surface chemistry dependent, and varied with individual functional groups rather than general surface properties such as wettability. In addition, cell migration rate was inversely related to cell spread area for MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts on a variety of silane-modified surfaces as well as for different anchorage-dependent cell types on a model polymeric biomaterial. Furthermore, the data revealed significant differences in migration rate among different cell types on a common polymeric substrate, suggesting that cell type-specific differences must be considered when using, selecting, or designing a substrate for research and therapeutic applications. Copyright 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.