Magnitude and polarity of a fluoroethylene propylene electret substrate charge influences neurite outgrowth in vitro.

Positively charged coating materials such as polylysine improve neuronal attachment in vitro. Due to the structural complexity of these charged molecules, it is unclear whether neuronal effects are due to charge or to physicochemical effects, or both. Polymeric materials with charge storage capabilities and defined surface properties may provide a model in which electrical charge and surface property effects can be separated. Fluorinated ethylenepropylene (FEP) films can store negative or positive charges injected through a corona charging process, thus generating a negative or positive external electrostatic field. In the present study, mouse neuroblastoma (Nb2a) cells were cultured on positive, negative, and uncharged FEP substrates, in both serum-containing and serum-free media. Cell attachment, differentiation, and neurite outgrowth were assessed 24, 48, 72 and 96 h after plating. Electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA), contact angle analysis, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed no differences in surface chemistry and topography between positive, negative, and uncharged FEP. No significant differences in the levels of cell attachment on positive, negative, and uncharged substrates were observed. Significantly higher levels of neurite outgrowth, however, were observed with positive substrates as compared to negative and uncharged substrates, in both media conditions. Substrates charged to +1000 V showed greater levels of outgrowth compared to +500 and +3000 V, suggesting the presence of an optimal range of charge for neurite outgrowth. These results show that cell/charge interactions mediate cell effects on electrically charged substrates with identical surface chemistry, topography and adhesivity.