GRGDSP peptide-bound silicone membranes withstand mechanical flexing in vitro and display enhanced fibroblast adhesion

Mechanobiological Studies of cardiac tissue require devices that allow forces to be exerted on cells in vitro. Silicone elastomer is often used in these devices because it is flexible and transparent, permitting optical imaging of the cells. However, native untreated silicone is hydrophobic and is unsuitable for cell Culture. Peptides covalently bound to silicone surfaces Lire examined here for the enhancement of cellular adhesion during in vitro dynamic flexing. A procedure is described for the chemical modification of medical grade silicone membranes with covalently bound GRGDSP peptides. The conditions for Mechanical Studies of cardiac Cell Cultures Lire then duplicated and it is demonstrated that the peptide layers survive 48 h of mechanical flexing in vitro. Specifically, mechanical flexing in vitro of the 30 pmol/cm(2) peptide-modified silicone membranes has no significant effect on the amount of peptides that remains bound to the surface. Cardiac fibroblasts display enhanced adhesion to these peptide-bound silicone membranes for at least 24h of growth, compared with native silicone or tissue Culture polystyrene. The effects of serum versus serum-free media on fibroblast growth Lire also examined. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.