Adhesion and stability of fibronectin on PTFE before and after seeding with normal and synchronized endothelial cells: in vitro study.

The possible influence of the cell cycle on the efficacy of endothelial cell (EC) seeding onto the surface of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) prostheses was studied. Likewise the ideal fibronectin concentration and optimal incubation time to guarantee the binding of this protein to the prosthetic surface have been calculated. Synchronized ECs, previously labeled with 3H-thymidine, were used, and the loss of radioactivity was determined at several times throughout the study. The results showed a progressive loss of cells on the prosthetic surface similar to that occurring with the seeding of unsynchronized ECs. The optimal concentration of fibronectin was 20 micrograms/ml, and the optimal incubation time was 1 h.