Culture of Mammalian Cells on Single Crystal SiC Substrates
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0950-D04-22
Culture of Mammalian Cells on Single Crystal SiC Substrates Camilla Coletti1, Mark J. Jaroszeski2, Andrew M. Hoff1, and Stephen E. Saddow1 1 Electrical Engineering, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa, FL, 33620 2 Chemical Engineering, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa, FL, 33620
ABSTRACT Crystalline silicon carbide (SiC) has the potential to become an important biomaterial and a versatile interface between the electronic and biological world. In this work, single crystal SiC biocompatibility is investigated by culturing mammalian cells directly on SiC substrates. The cell morphology and the quality of the cell adhesion have been studied using fluorescence microscopy, while MTT [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] assays have been performed to quantify cell viability and number. Standard culture-wells and silicon (Si) substrates were used as controls in the final assessment of crystalline SiC biocompatibility. INTRODUCTION Cell-semiconductor hybrid systems may likely become a centerpiece in the scenery of biotechnological applications. Pharmaceutical and toxicological biosensing, nervous-system research and cell-biology research are only a few of the numerous fields that may benefit from the direct coupling of living cells with semiconducting materials. A key issue in the future development of these hybrid systems is the identification and bio-characterization of biocompatible semiconductors. Because of its chemical inertness, superior tribological properties and wide electron energy band-gap, single-crystal silicon carbide (SiC) is a promising candidate for biosensing applications. However, crystalline SiC biocompatibility needs to be assessed in order to determine if this intriguing semiconductor is a valid biomaterial capable of directly interfacing with living cells. Several studies have confirmed the biocompatibility of amorphous silicon carbide (a-SiC) [1, 2], which has become one of the materials of choice for orthopedic applications and has been successfully used for coating stents in coronary angioplasty [3]. On the other hand, the cytocompatibility of only one polytype of single-crystal SiC (cubic, or 3C-SiC) has been evaluated to date [4]. Moreover, even if it is well known that direct cell adhesion and subsequent cell proliferation on a substrate surface are indicators of biocompatibility [5, 6], single-crystal SiC surfaces have not been used as substrates for cell growth. In this work, the biocompatibility of crystalline SiC was investigated by culturing two different lines of mammalian cells directly on SiC surfaces. Cultured cell morphology and proliferation, studied using fluorescent microscopy and MTT [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5diphenyltetrazolium bromide] assays, respectively, were the parameters used for SiC biocompatibility assessment. Since surface topology, chemistry, and electrical properties may influence cell adhesion, SiC samples with different degrees of surface roughness, chemical composition, and crys
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