Biomimetic ceramic-based hybrid coatings for controlling mammalian cell and bacterial adhesion

Surface wettability and surface energy are important factors influencing the interaction between cells and surfaces. These properties determine the behavior of cells, including their adhesion, proliferation and differentiation on various materials, which is essential in designing biomaterials for tissue engineering or medical implants. In particular, the surface energy dictates the extent of cell-surface contact, while surface wettability affects the distribution of proteins and other biological molecules on the surface, further modulating the cell attachment. This work investigated the interaction of cells with surfaces having distinct interfacial properties, obtained by deposition of inorganic/organic hybrid coatings. Three coating systems were compared: a lotus-leaf-inspired hierarchical surface (Al₂O₃_FAS), a single-scale fluorinated microporous surface (SiO₂F), and a Slippery Liquid-Infused Porous Surface (Al₂O₃_FAS_K105, SLIPS), whose interface is defined by a lubricant layer infused within the surface texture. The adhesion of BALB/3T3 clone A31 murine fibroblast cells, along with biofilm-forming Staphylococcus aureus on different types of coatings was investigated, revealing that both mammalian cell and bacterial adhesion were reduced compared with the uncoated reference surface. These surfaces demonstrate potential for medical applications, where reducing bacterial adhesion is critical for preventing infections and enhancing the performance of medical implants and devices.