Influence of silicone (PDMS) surface texture on human skin fibroblast proliferation as determined by cell cycle analysis.

In vivo biocompatibility of soft-tissue implants is often hampered by development of capsules that eventually might contract and impair implant function. It has been shown that capsule formation can be significantly reduced by using materials with textured surface elements in the micron range. In this study the interaction of human fibroblasts with silicone surfaces was analyzed using cell cycle analysis. Silicone was textured with 2, 5, and 10 microns wide grooves (2MU, 5MU, 10MU, respectively) or kept smooth (SMT). Cell cycle analysis was performed after staining of cells with propidium iodide. Cells proliferated on the fibronectin-preadsorbed silicone, as demonstrated by increased coverage and occurrence of subpopulations in the S and G2/M phase of the cell cycle. Cells on SMT went faster into the S phase than cells on textured silicones. Cells on 10MU showed less proliferation than cells on 2MU and 5MU. Besides the basic percentages of cells in the different cycle phases, DNA profiles were also influenced by incubation time and texture, especially with respect to the presence of hypodiploid populations and asymmetry of the G0/G1 peak. Finally scatter characteristics were influenced. 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazole-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay data did not reveal significant differences among the different samples. Fibronectin preadsorption of silicone only resulted in slightly higher MTT conversion. Cell cycle analysis proved to be a sensitive screening method for proliferation on the silicone surfaces and provided information beyond the normal G0/G1, S and G2/M subpopulations.