Mammalian Cell Behavior on Hydrophobic Substrates: Influence of Surface Properties

Abstract

The influence of different surface properties holding to a modification of the substrate towards hydrophobic or superhydrophobic behavior was reviewed in this paper. Cell adhesion, their communication, and proliferation can be strongly manipulated, acting on interfacial relationship involving stiffness, surface charge, surface chemistry, roughness, or wettability. All these features can play mutual roles in determining the final properties of biomedical applications ranging from fabrics to cell biology devices. The focus of this work is the mammalian cell viability in contact with moderate to highly water repellent coatings or materials and also in combination with hydrophilic areas for more specific application. Few case studies illustrate a range of examples in which these surface properties and design can be fruitfully matched to the specific aim.