Biomolecular functionalization for enhanced cell–material interactions of poly(methyl methacrylate) surfaces

The integration of implants or medical devices into the body tissues requires of good cell–material interactions. However, most polymeric materials used for these applications lack on biological cues, which enhanced mid- and long-term implant failure due to weak integration with the surrounding tissue. Commonly used strategies for tissue–material integration focus on functionalization of the material surface by means of natural proteins or short peptides. However, the use of these biomolecules involves major drawbacks such as immunogenic problems and oversimplification of the constructs. Here, designed elastin-like recombinamers (ELRs) are used to enhance poly(methyl methacrylate) surface properties and compared against the use of short peptides. In this study, cell response has been analysed for different functionalization conditions in the presence and absence of a competing protein, which interferes on surface–cell interaction by unspecific adsorption on the interface. The study has shown that ELRs can induce higher rates of cell attachment and stronger cell anchorages than short peptides, being a better choice for surface functionalization.