Surface modification on silicon with chitosan and biological research

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of chitosan modification of silicon (Si) on protein adsorption, cell adhesion and cell proliferation. Chitosan was first immobilized on the Si surface through a (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES) bridge. The surface was then characterized by contact angle measurement, atomic force microscopy (AFM), x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The amount of protein adsorbed on the native Si and chitosan-modified Si surface was evaluated by a modified Coomassie brilliant blue (CBB) protein assay. The adhesion and proliferation behavior of L-929 and pc12 cells were then assessed by microscopy and methylthiazoltetrazolium (MTT) tests. The results showed that the chitosan modification could resist protein adsorption and inhibit the adhesion and proliferation of two kinds of cells on Si.