Cell proliferation on UV-excimer lamp modified and grafted polytetrafluoroethylene

Abstract Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) was modified by irradiation with 172 nm light from an UV-excimer lamp in reactive ammonia atmosphere. Then, the samples were exposed to aqueous solutions of amino acids (glycine, alanine and leucine). The samples were characterized by water contact angle measurement, UV–VIS spectroscopy and laser-induced fluorescence (LIF). The results indicate, that the amino acids are bound onto the polymer chain. The amount of incorporated amino acid is a decreasing function of its molecular size. By in vitro experiments it was shown that the incorporated amino acids support adhesion and proliferation of rat aortic smooth muscle cells and mouse embryonic 3T3 fibroblasts on the polymer surface. The maximum effect was observed for smallest molecule of glycine.