The control of cell adhesion to synthetic polymers is a key factor in tissue engineering, resting on the ability to direct specific cell types to adhere and proliferate in order to stimulate tissue reconstruction. But often the surface properties are compromised for the sake of the bulk properties, leading to surfaces that do not support sufficiently the level of bioactivity required and accordingly the polymeric biomaterial will fail clinically. Laser treatment offers a unique means of enhancing the osteoblast cell response of the surface of a polymeric biomaterial, whilst keeping the already sufficient bulk properties intact. To this end, infra-red (IR) and ultraviolet (UV) lasers have been employed to modify the wettability characteristics of nylon 6,6, as wetting is often the primary factor dictating the adhesion and bonding potential of materials, as a route to enhancing the surface in terms of osteoblast cell response. What is more, modifying wettability characteristics in this way is a highly attractive means of estimating the biofunctionality of a polymer. IR (CO2) and UV (F2 and KrF excimer) lasers were employed to carry out two different processes: laser whole area irradiative processing and laser-induced patterning. With both CO2 and the excimer lasers changes in the wettability characteristics could be effected with subsequent enhancement of osteoblast cell response. This was also the case with both laser-induced patterning and laser whole area irradiative processing. Essentially, an approach has been established whereby the osteoblast cell response on the surfaces of laser treated nylon 6,6 can be predicted through the laser-induced wettability characteristics modification, particularly for the laser whole area irradiative processed nylon 6,6. This ultimately allows one to determine the osteoblast cell response of the laser surface treated nylon 6,6 surfaces directly from the laser operating parameters. In concurrence with established wetting theory the laser whole area irradiative processing of the nylon 6,6 surfaces caused increased surface roughness, increased surface oxygen content, increased polar component, γP , and increased total surface energy, γT ; thereby generating surfaces displaying reduced contact angle, θ, making the nylon 6,6 surfaces more hydrophilic. The laser-induced patterned samples differed from current theory insofar as the nylon 6,6 surfaces became less hydrophilic due to an increase in θ despite an increase in surface roughness, an increase in surface oxygen content, an increase in γP and an increase in γT . This phenomena can be explained by the transition in wetting regimes from a Wenzel regime to a mixed-state wetting regime. Nevertheless, collation of the wettability characteristics results revealed that θ was a strong correlative decreasing function of both γP and γT , indicating that surface energy played a large role in determining the wetting nature of the nylon 6,6. It was found that for all laser whole area irradiative processed nylon 6,6 surfaces the osteoblast cell response was an increasing correlative and therefore predictive function of θ and was a decreasing function of γP . To an extent, the surface oxygen content and surface roughness could be used indirectly to foretell the osteoblast cell response of the nylon 6,6 surfaces. This is on account of the CO2 and KrF excimer laser whole area irradiative processing bringing about increased surface toxicity, which above a certain level hindered the osteoblast cell response. For the laser-induced patterned nylon 6,6 samples there did not appear to be any particular correlative trend between the modified surface parameters and osteoblast cell response. This can be accounted for by the transition in wetting regimes. Another important factor is that cell morphologies were modulated over all samples which suggests that varying surface parameters on account of laser surface treatment gave rise to variations in cell signaling. It was determined that θ, γP and γT all had very strong correlative relationships with the cytotoxicity. The cytotoxicity reduced upon an increase in θ until a minimum constant was achieved, whereas the cytotoxicity remained constant at low γP and γT until a point at which the cytotoxicity began to increase. These results are noteworthy as they allow one to deduce that, with constant cytotoxicity levels, the osteoblast cell response appeared to be modulated by the wettability characteristics. But once the cytotoxicity increased, the toxicity began to dominate and so negated the identified positive wettability characteristic correlations with osteoblast cell response. Practically, the surface roughness and surface oxygen content could be implemented indirectly to estimate the cytotoxicity. Increase in cytotoxicity was the result of the laser processing with higher fluences generating excessive melting. As a result of this, it is possible to deduce that there was a maximum threshold fluence, beyond which the toxicity of the nylon 6,6 began to dominate, giving rise to a less enhanced osteoblast cell response. On account of the correlative trends which have been identified between the laser surface treatment, wettability characteristics and osteoblast cell response of nylon 6,6 it is likely for one to have the ability to estimate the osteoblast cell response in vitro. This is significant as it indicates that laser surface modification of polymeric materials could have tremendous potential for application within the field of regenerative medicine.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:658231 |
| Date | January 2010 |
| Creators | Waugh, David G. |
| Publisher | Loughborough University |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Source | https://dspace.lboro.ac.uk/2134/6591 |
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