Optimization of poly-di-methyl-siloxane (PDMS) substrates for studying cellular adhesion and motility

The cellular adhesion and motility have direct implications in the tumoral-metastatic cells development or in the tissue engineering mechanisms for instance. Our work aims at knowing the impact of substrate mechanical properties on those adhesion and motility mechanisms by modifying bulk rigidity, surface energy and composition of a bio-compatible poly-di-methyl-siloxane (PDMS) substrate. We show how a wide range of PDMS rigidity can be obtained and how Ar/O-2-based plasmas turn PDMS surface to hydrophilic. A correlation between surface energy, bulk rigidity, cells adhesion and growth is finally shown. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.