Trends in cell therapy and tissue engineering ask for polymer scaffolds which reflect requirements for tuned mechanical properties, suitably designed three-dimensional architecture as well as demands on the specific interaction between biomaterial and living cells. Adhesion, proliferation and differentiation of cells on polymer substrates can be modified by providing solid-state signals to the cells through specific structures exposed on the polymer surfaces.
Surface properties of polyester-based biomaterials were modified by amphiphilic block copolymers composed of hydrophobic polyester and hydrophilic poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) blocks. The polyester blocks served to stabilize the copolymer layer on the polymer support while the hydrophilic blocks allowed introduction of functional groups, either nonspecific or cell-specific, on the polymer surface. The end-functionalized PLA-b-PEO copolymers were prepared by controlled polymerization of lactide using the semitelechelic PEO with protected carboxyl or amino groups as co-initiators. The selected peptide sequences were attached to the functional copolymers using the solid-phase techniques based on building a protected peptide on polymer support.
Several approaches were studied in preparation of functional polymer surfaces with controlled distribution of cell-adhesion structures. The effect of surface modifications on adhesion and growth of vascular smooth-muscle and endothelial cells on polymer films was evaluated. Thus, functional amphiphilic block copolymers can be used as a versatile modular system providing different types of bioactive patterned surfaces of polymer biomaterials, exhibiting selective interactions at biomaterial-cell interfaces.

Acknowledgment: Support from the Grant Agency of the Academy of Sciences of Czech Republic (grant No. A4050202), Grant Agency of CR (grant No. 304/02/0579) and the Ministry of Education of CR (grant No. LN00A065) is acknowledged.

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