| AVS 59th Annual International Symposium and Exhibition | |
| Applied Surface Science | Tuesday Sessions |
| Session AS+BI-TuM |
| Session: | Practical Surface Analysis |
| Presenter: | J. Schnekenburger, Muenster University, Germany |
| Correspondent: | Click to Email |
Surface analysis technologies offer tremendous applications in clinical fields. The interface of cells and materials is a crucial determinant for implant integration, artificial organ regeneration and stem cell differentiation. Cells are highly sensitive not only to chemical but also to structural determinants of their environment. Material softness, roughness and distance of adhesion points are known factors for adhesion, differentiation and the maintenance of cell function. The characterization of cell environments and surfaces for advanced cell culture by surface analysis technologies is a key element of the successful generation of bioimplantable materials and tissue regeneration.
Dental implants and liver regeneration are high impact examples for surface analysis needs. Dental implants should have a structure and chemical composition which facilitates osteoblast adhesion and bone development but impairs microbial growth and adhesion. Different implants were characterized and cell adhesion presented. The regeneration of functional liver cells from mesenchymal stem cells would allow the replacement of donor organs by cell implants. Stem cell differentiation not only requires genetic reprogramming and soluble factors but also a three dimensional environment with key elements of mature hepatocyte surrounding. These surface structures need to be identified and transferred in tissue culture dishes.
The analysis of cells and tissues as materials is challenging. The clinical environment requires technology application processes different from material science. Clinical routine analysis is cost driven and performed by technicians or MDs without deeper technical training. Expert personnel are available only in high throughput clinical centers. Also research is based on understanding the molecular determinants like DNA and proteins rather than material aspects. Furthermore cells and tissues need preparation since biological material can not be measured in high vacuum. The preparation like chemical fixation limits the analysis to specific time points of biological processes and may alter the samples compared to the original state. The combination of technologies like mass spectrometry or scanning electron microscopy with atomic force microscopy or digital holography allows the analysis of preparation artifacts and the generation of reliable data.
Overcoming the current restrictions surface analysis technologies have the potential to replace the biomedical gold standard light microscopy and fluorescence microscopy in the high resolution and three dimensional structural and chemical analysis of biological samples.