Journal of Cell Science, Vol 92, Issue 1 111-121, Copyright © 1989 by Company of Biologists

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Modified hydroxyethylmethacrylate hydrogels as a modelling tool for the study of cell-substratum interactions

PR Bergethon, V Trinkaus-Randall and C Franzblau
Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, MA 02118.

The interactions between cells and their extracellular substratum environment are complex and difficult to study. Defined, synthetic substrata are valuable tools for experimentally determining the role of ionic and receptor-specific interactions between cells and their substrata. Hydrogels have been modified to contain stoichiometrically defined quantities of both positive and negative charge as well as specific proteins. These synthetic surfaces are water-rich matrices that possess hydroxyl groups, positive and negative ionized charges and native proteins, and can be considered as models of extracellular matrices on which an assessment of charge contribution and macromolecular content and specificity can be addressed with respect to cell-matrix interactions. This study shows that simple gels made of polyhydroxyethylmethacrylate do not support the spreading of cells but that the generation of copolymers by the addition of monomers that contain ionizable functional groups, will permit cell spreading. These simple modifications do not lead to cellular proliferation, yet when collagen is entrapped in the hydrogel substratum, proliferation occurs. The proliferative rate of cells grown on collagen-containing surfaces may be modified by altering the stoichiometry of the ionizable polymers used to make the surface. This study describes a synthetic, definable model for the study of cell-substratum interactions and control.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S R Sandeman, R G A Faragher, M C A Allen, C Liu, and A W Lloyd Novel materials to enhance keratoprosthesis integration Br. J. Ophthalmol., June 1, 2000; 84(6): 640 - 644. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				M. Zhao, A. Dick, J. V. Forrester, and C. D. McCaig Electric Field-directed Cell Motility Involves Up-regulated Expression and Asymmetric Redistribution of the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptors and Is Enhanced by Fibronectin and Laminin Mol. Biol. Cell, April 1, 1999; 10(4): 1259 - 1276. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				M. Stol Poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate)- Collagen Composites for Biomedical Applications Journal of Bioactive and Compatible Polymers, January 1, 1991; 6(3): 308 - 315. [PDF]

				H. K. Pokharna, Yanmin Zhong, D. J. Smith, and M. J. Dunphy Copolymers of Hydroxyethyl Methacrylate with Quadrol Methacrylate and with Various Aminoalkyl Methacrylamides as Fibroblast Cell Substrata Journal of Bioactive and Compatible Polymers, January 1, 1990; 5(1): 42 - 52. [Abstract] [PDF]