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The potential of contact angle measurements (CAM) as an analytical tool to characterize surface treatments or modifications is often not fully exploited. Agreeing with Strobel and Lyons, comparing contact angles is often much more reasonable than comparing deduced data like surface energies, because the latter are based on models, in turn involving the influence and knowledge of intermolecular forces at the respective interfaces. For a comprehensive picture, the measurement of contact angles itself has to be considered together with the appropriate model and the available techniques to carry out CAM. An appropriate measurement procedure will be given and a brief discussion of some models to derive free surface energy from CAM.

In vivo self-endothelialization by endothelial cell adhesion on cardiovascular implants is highly desirable. DNA-oligonucleotides are an intriguing coating material with nonimmunogenic characteristics and the feasibility of easy and rapid chemical fabrication. The objective of this study was the creation of cell adhesive DNA-oligonucleotide coatings on vascular implant surfaces. DNA-oligonucleotides immobilized by adsorption on parylene (poly(monoaminomethyl-para-xylene)) coated polystyrene and ePTFE were resistant to high shear stress (9.5 N/m2) and human blood serum for up to 96 h. Adhesion of murine endothelial progenitor cells, HUVECs and endothelial cells from human adult saphenous veins as well as viability over a period of 14 days of HUVECs on oligonucleotide coated samples under dynamic culture conditions was significantly enhanced (P < 0.05). Oligonucleotide-coated surfaces revealed low thrombogenicity and excellent hemocompatibility after incubation with human blood. These properties suggest the suitability of immobilization of DNA-oligonucleotides for biofunctionalization of blood vessel substitutes for improved in vivo endothelialization.

Polyethylene glycol (PEG) chains with different lengths were covalently bonded to polypropylene membranes by means of RF plasma polymerisation of acrylic acid (pp-Aac) followed by mono-amino PEG attachment in liquid phase. Two reactor configurations were tested for the plasma deposition of ppAAc in order to obtain high retention of carboxylic groups in the deposited thin films. A best configuration was assessed evaluating the membrane surface modifications by means of water droplet adsorption time and contact angles measurements, attenuated total reflection (ATR) spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis. PEG chains were covalently bonded to the best plasma modified membranes and the resulting anti-fouling properties were evaluated.

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