4-Axis 3D-Printed Tubular Biomaterials Imitating the Anisotropic Nanofiber Orientation of Porcine Aortae.

Many of the peculiar properties of the vasculature are related to the arrangement of anisotropic proteinaceous fibers in vessel walls. Understanding and imitating these arrangements can potentially lead to new therapies for cardiovascular diseases. These can be pre-surgical planning, for which patient-specific ex vivo anatomical models for endograft testing are of interest. Alternatively, therapies can be based on tissue engineering, for which degradable in vitro cell growth substrates are used to culture replacement parts. In both cases, materials are desirable that imitate the biophysical properties of vessels, including their tubular shapes and compliance. This work contributes to these demands by offering methods for the manufacturing of anisotropic 3D-printed nanofibrous tubular structures that have similar biophysical properties as porcine aortae, that are biocompatible, and that allow for controlled nutrient diffusion. Tubes of various sizes with axial, radial, or alternating nanofiber orientation along the blood flow direction are manufactured by a customized method. Blood pressure-resistant, compliant, stable, and cell culture-compatible structures are obtained, that can be degraded in vitro on demand. It is suggested that these healthcare materials can contribute to the next generation of cardiovascular therapies of ex vivo pre-surgical planning or in vitro cell culture.

The European Polysaccharide Network of Excellence (EPNOE) research roadmap 2040: Advanced strategies for exploiting the vast potential of polysaccharides as renewable bioresources.

Polysaccharides are among the most abundant bioresources on earth and consequently need to play a pivotal role when addressing existential scientific challenges like climate change and the shift from fossil-based to sustainable biobased materials. The Research Roadmap 2040 of the European Polysaccharide Network of Excellence (EPNOE) provides an expert's view on how future research and development strategies need to evolve to fully exploit the vast potential of polysaccharides as renewable bioresources. It is addressed to academic researchers, companies, as well as policymakers and covers five strategic areas that are of great importance in the context of polysaccharide related research: (I) Materials & Engineering, (II) Food & Nutrition, (III) Biomedical Applications, (IV) Chemistry, Biology & Physics, and (V) Skills & Education. Each section summarizes the state of research, identifies challenges that are currently faced, project achievements and developments that are expected in the upcoming 20 years, and finally provides outlines on how future research activities need to evolve.

3D-Printed Collagen-Nanocellulose Hybrid Bioscaffolds with Tailored Properties for Tissue Engineering Applications.

Hybrid collagen (Coll) bioscaffolds have emerged as a promising solution for tissue engineering (TE) and regenerative medicine. These innovative bioscaffolds combine the beneficial properties of Coll, an important structural protein of the extracellular matrix, with various other biomaterials to create platforms for long-term cell growth and tissue formation. The integration or cross-linking of Coll with other biomaterials increases mechanical strength and stability and introduces tailored biochemical and physical factors that mimic the natural tissue microenvironment. This work reports on the fabrication of chemically cross-linked hybrid bioscaffolds with enhanced properties from the combination of Coll, nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC), carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), and citric acid (CA). The bioscaffolds were prepared by 3D printing ink containing Coll-NFC-CMC-CA followed by freeze-drying, dehydrothermal treatment, and neutralization. Cross-linking through the formation of ester bonds between the polymers and CA in the bioscaffolds was achieved by exposing the bioscaffolds to elevated temperatures in the dry state. The morphology, pores/porosity, chemical composition, structure, thermal behavior, swelling, degradation, and mechanical properties of the bioscaffolds in the dry and wet states were investigated as a function of Coll concentration. The bioscaffolds showed no cytotoxicity to MG-63 human bone osteosarcoma cells as tested by different assays measuring different end points. Overall, the presented hybrid Coll bioscaffolds offer a unique combination of biocompatibility, stability, and structural support, making them valuable tools for TE.

Morphology and swelling of thin films of dialcohol xylan.

Polysaccharides are excellent network formers and are often processed into films from water solutions. Despite being hydrophilic polysaccharides, the typical xylans liberated from wood are sparsely soluble in water. We have previously suggested that an additional piece to the solubilization puzzle is modification of the xylan backbone via oxidative cleavage of the saccharide ring. Here, we demonstrate the influence of the degree of modification, i.e., degree of oxidation (DO) on xylan solubilization and consequent film formation and stability. Oxidized and reduced wood xylans (i.e., dialcohol xylans) with the highest DO (77 %) within the series exhibited the smallest hydrodynamic diameter (dh) of 60 nm in dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO). We transferred the modified xylans into films credit to their established solubility and then quantified the film water interactions. Dialcohol xylans with intermediate DOs (42 and 63 %) did not form continuous films. The films swelled slightly when subjected to humidity. However, the film with the highest DO demonstrated a significant moisture uptake that depended on the film mass and was not observed with the other modified grades or with unmodified xylan.

Solid Phase Peptide Synthesis on Chitosan Thin Films.

Stable chitosan thin films can be promising substrates for creating nanometric peptide-bound polyglucosamine layers. Those are of scientific interest since they can have certain structural similarities to bacterial peptidoglycans. Such films were deposited by spin coating from chitosan solutions and modified by acetylation and N-protected amino acids. The masses of deposited materials and their stability in aqueous solutions at different pH values and water interaction were determined with a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D). The evolution of the surface composition was followed by X-ray photoelectron (XPS) and attenuated total reflectance infrared (ATR-IR) spectroscopy. Morphological changes were measured by atomic force microscopy (AFM), while the surface wettability was monitored by by static water contact angle measurements. The combination of the characterization techniques enabled an insight into the surface chemistry for each treatment step and confirmed the acetylation and coupling of N-protected glycine peptides. The developed procedures are seen as first steps toward preparing thin layers of acetylated chitin, potentially imitating the nanometric peptide substituted glycan layers found in bacterial cell walls.

One-Step Fabrication of Hollow Spherical Cellulose Beads: Application in pH-Responsive Therapeutic Delivery.

The path to greater sustainability and the development of polymeric drug delivery systems requires innovative approaches. The adaptation and use of biobased materials for applications such as targeted therapeutic delivery is, therefore, in high demand. A crucial part of this relates to the development of porous and hollow structures that are biocompatible, pH-responsive, deliver active substances, and contribute to pain relief, wound healing, tissue regeneration, and so forth. In this study, we developed a facile single-step and water-based method for the fabrication of hollow spherical cellulose beads for targeted drug release in response to external pH stimuli. Through base-catalyzed deprotection, hydrophobic solid and spherical cellulose acetate beads are transformed into hydrophilic cellulose structures with a hollow interior (wall thickness: 150 µm and inner diameter: 650 µm) by a stepwise increment of temperature and treatment time. Besides the pH-responsive fluid uptake properties, the hollow cellulose structures exhibit a maximum encapsulation efficiency of 20-85% diclofenac (DCF), a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, used commonly to treat pain and inflammatory diseases. The maximum amount of DCF released in vitro increased from 20 to 100% when the pH of the release medium increased from pH 1.2 to 7.4. As for the DCF release patterns and kinetic models at specific pH values, the release showed a diffusion- and swelling-controlled profile, effortlessly fine-tuned by external environmental pH stimuli. Overall, we show that the modified beads exhibit excellent characteristics for transport across the gastrointestinal tract and enhance the bioavailability of the drug. Their therapeutic efficacy and biocompatibility are also evident from the studies on human fibroblast cells. We anticipate that this platform could support and inspire the development of novel sustainable and effective polysaccharide-based delivery systems.

Influence of Charge and Heat on the Mechanical Properties of Scaffolds from Ionic Complexation of Chitosan and Carboxymethyl Cellulose.

As one of the most abundant, multifunctional biological polymers, polysaccharides are considered promising materials to prepare tissue engineering scaffolds. When properly designed, wetted porous scaffolds can have biomechanics similar to living tissue and provide suitable fluid transport, both of which are key features for in vitro and in vivo tissue growth. They can further mimic the components and function of glycosaminoglycans found in the extracellular matrix of tissues. In this study, we investigate scaffolds formed by charge complexation between anionic carboxymethyl cellulose and cationic protonated chitosan under well-controlled conditions. Freeze-drying and dehydrothermal heat treatment were then used to obtain porous materials with exceptional, unprecendent mechanical properties and dimensional long-term stability in cell growth media. We investigated how complexation conditions, charge ratio, and heat treatment significantly influence the resulting fluid uptake and biomechanics. Surprisingly, materials with high compressive strength, high elastic modulus, and significant shape recovery are obtained under certain conditions. We address this mostly to a balanced charge ratio and the formation of covalent amide bonds between the polymers without the use of additional cross-linkers. The scaffolds promoted clustered cell adhesion and showed no cytotoxic effects as assessed by cell viability assay and live/dead staining with human adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells. We suggest that similar scaffolds or biomaterials comprising other polysaccharides have a large potential for cartilage tissue engineering and that elucidating the reason for the observed peculiar biomechanics can stimulate further research.

Anticoagulant Activity of Cellulose Nanocrystals from Isora Plant Fibers Assembled on Cellulose and SiO2 Substrates via a Layer-by-Layer Approach.

In this study, we report the isolation of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) from Isora plant fibers by sulfuric acid hydrolysis and their assembly on hydrophilic cellulose and silicon-di-oxide (SiO2) surfaces via a layer-by-layer (LBL) deposition method. The isolated CNCs were monodispersed and exhibited a length of 200-300 nm and a diameter of 10-20 nm, a negative zetapotential (-34-39 mV) over a wide pH range, and high stability in water at various concentrations. The multi-layered structure, adsorbed mass, conformational changes, and anticoagulant activity of sequentially deposited anionic (sulfated) CNCs and cationic polyethyleneimine (PEI) on the surfaces of cellulose and SiO2 by LBL deposition were investigated using a quartz crystal microbalance technique. The organization and surface features (i.e., morphology, thickness, wettability) of CNCs adsorbed on the surfaces of PEI deposited at different ionic strengths (50-300 mM) of sodium chloride were analysed in detail by profilometry layer-thickness, atomic force microscopy and contact angle measurements. Compared to cellulose (control sample), the total coagulation time and plasma deposition were increased and decreased, respectively, for multilayers of PEI/CNCs. This study should provide new possibilities to fabricate and tailor the physicochemical properties of multilayer films from polysaccharide-based nanocrystals for various biomedical applications.

Hybrid 3D Printing of Advanced Hydrogel-Based Wound Dressings with Tailorable Properties.

Despite the extensive utilization of polysaccharide hydrogels in regenerative medicine, current fabrication methods fail to produce mechanically stable scaffolds using only hydrogels. The recently developed hybrid extrusion-based bioprinting process promises to resolve these current issues by facilitating the simultaneous printing of stiff thermoplastic polymers and softer hydrogels at different temperatures. Using layer-by-layer deposition, mechanically advantageous scaffolds can be produced by integrating the softer hydrogel matrix into a stiffer synthetic framework. This work demonstrates the fabrication of hybrid hydrogel-thermoplastic polymer scaffolds with tunable structural and chemical properties for applications in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Through an alternating deposition of polycaprolactone and alginate/carboxymethylcellulose gel strands, scaffolds with the desired architecture (e.g., filament thickness, pore size, macro-/microporosity), and rheological characteristics (e.g., swelling capacity, degradation rate, and wettability) were prepared. The hybrid fabrication approach allows the fine-tuning of wettability (approx. 50-75°), swelling (approx. 0-20× increased mass), degradability (approx. 2-30+ days), and mechanical strength (approx. 0.2-11 MPa) in the range between pure hydrogels and pure thermoplastic polymers, while providing a gradient of surface properties and good biocompatibility. The controlled degradability and permeability of the hydrogel component may also enable controlled drug delivery. Our work shows that the novel hybrid hydrogel-thermoplastic scaffolds with adjustable characteristics have immense potential for tissue engineering and can serve as templates for developing novel wound dressings.

Protein repellent anti-coagulative mixed-charged cellulose derivative coatings.

This study describes the formation of cellulose based polyelectrolyte charge complexes on the surface of biodegradable polycaprolactone (PCL) thin films. Anionic sulphated cellulose (CS) and protonated cationic amino cellulose (AC) were used to form these complexes with a layer-by-layer coating technique. Both polyelectrolytes were analyzed by charge titration methods to elucidate their pH-value dependent protonation behavior. A quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) in combination with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were used to follow the growth, stability and water content of up to three AC/CS bi-layers in aqueous environment. This was combined with coagulation studies on one, two and three bilayers of AC/CS, measuring the thrombin formation rate and the total coagulation time of citrated blood plasma with QCM-D. Stable mixed charged bilayers could be prepared on PCL and significantly higher masses of AC than of CS were present in these complexes. Strong hydration due to the presence of ammonium and sulphate substituents on the backbone of cellulose led to a significant BSA repellent character of three bilayers of AC/CS coatings. The total plasma coagulation time was increased in comparison to neat PCL, indicating an anticoagulative nature of the coatings. Surprisingly, a coating solely composed of an AC layer significantly prolonged the total coagulation time on the surfaces although it did not prevent fibrinogen deposition. It is suggested that these cellulose derivative-based coatings can therefore be used to prevent unwanted BSA deposition and fibrin clot formation on PCL to foster its biomedical application.

Defluorination of Polytetrafluoroethylene Surface by Hydrogen Plasma.

Defluorination of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) surface film is a suitable technique for tailoring its surface properties. The influence of discharge parameters on the surface chemistry was investigated systematically using radio-frequency inductively coupled H2 plasma sustained in the E- and H-modes at various powers, pressures and treatment times. The surface finish was probed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS). The measurements of water contact angles (WCA) showed increased wettability of the pristine PTFE; however, they did not reveal remarkable modification in the surface chemistry of the samples treated at various discharge parameters. By contrast, the combination of XPS and ToF-SIMS, however, revealed important differences in the surface chemistry between the E- and H-modes. A well-expressed minimum in the fluorine to carbon ratio F/C as low as 0.2 was observed at the treatment time as short as 1 s when plasma was in the H-mode. More gradual surface chemistry was observed when plasma was in the E-mode, and the minimal achievable F/C ratio was about 0.6. The results were explained by the synergistic effects of hydrogen atoms and vacuum ultraviolet radiation.

Polysaccharide-Based Bioink Formulation for 3D Bioprinting of an In Vitro Model of the Human Dermis.

Limitations in wound management have prompted scientists to introduce bioprinting techniques for creating constructs that can address clinical problems. The bioprinting approach is renowned for its ability to spatially control the three-dimensional (3D) placement of cells, molecules, and biomaterials. These features provide new possibilities to enhance homology to native skin and improve functional outcomes. However, for the clinical value, the development of hydrogel bioink with refined printability and bioactive properties is needed. In this study, we combined the outstanding viscoelastic behavior of nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) with the fast cross-linking ability of alginate (ALG), carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), and encapsulated human-derived skin fibroblasts (hSF) to create a bioink for the 3D bioprinting of a dermis layer. The shear thinning behavior of hSF-laden bioink enables construction of 3D scaffolds with high cell density and homogeneous cell distribution. The obtained results demonstrated that hSF-laden bioink supports cellular activity of hSF (up to 29 days) while offering proper printability in a biologically relevant 3D environment, making it a promising tool for skin tissue engineering and drug testing applications.

Generic Method for Designing Self-Standing and Dual Porous 3D Bioscaffolds from Cellulosic Nanomaterials for Tissue Engineering Applications.

Three-dimensional scaffolds (3D) with controlled shape, dual porosity and long-term mechanical and dimensional stability in biofluids are of interest as biotemplates in tissue engineering. Herein, self-standing and lightweight cellulose-based biogenic scaffolds with a spatially structured morphology, macropores and interconnected micropores were fabricated using a combination of direct ink writing 3D printing and freeze-drying techniques. This was achieved by developing a water-based and low-cost bicomponent ink based on commercially available nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC). Physical cross-linking through dehydrothermal treatment significantly increased the surface hardness, indentation modulus, compression strength, as well as the dimensional stability of the scaffolds in biofluids, in comparison to untreated materials. However, no differences in the spectra of solid state nuclear magnetic resonance or infrared were observed for dehydrothermal treated samples, suggesting that the increase of mechanical properties and dimensional stability is based on the physical cross-linking of functional groups both at the interface between NFC and CMC. The supramolecular structure of the polymers was well-preserved as disclosed by X-ray diffraction measurements. The cross-linked scaffolds showed high proliferation, viability, and attachment of human bone tissue derived osteoblast cells (hFOB). The simple and straightforward avenue proposed here for the design of cellulose-based fibrous inks and dual porous scaffolds from the commercially available materials and without the need of any additional cross-linkers should pave the way for the development of implantable, degradable scaffolds and cell-laden biomaterials for bone tissue regeneration and 3D bioprinting applications.

Affinity of Serum Albumin and Fibrinogen to Cellulose, Its Hydrophobic Derivatives and Blends.

This work describes the preparation of spin-coated thin polymer films composed of cellulose (CE), ethyl cellulose (EC), and cellulose acetate (CA) in the form of bi- or mono-component coatings on sensors of a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D). Depending on the composition and derivative, hydrophilicity can be varied resulting in materials with different surface properties. The surfaces of mono- and bi-component films were also analyzed by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and large differences in the morphologies were found comprising nano- to micrometer sized pores. Extended protein adsorption studies were performed by a QCM-D with 0.1 and 10 mg mL-1 bovine serum albumin (BSA) and 0.1 and 1 mg mL-1 fibrinogen from bovine plasma in phosphate buffered saline. Analysis of the mass of bound proteins was conducted by applying the Voigt model and a comparison was made with the Sauerbrey wet mass of the proteins for all films. The amount of deposited proteins could be influenced by the composition of the films. It is proposed that the observed effects can be exploited in biomaterial science and that they can be used to extent the applicability of bio-based polymer thin films composed of commercial cellulose derivatives.

Nano- and Micropatterned Polycaprolactone Cellulose Composite Surfaces with Tunable Protein Adsorption, Fibrin Clot Formation, and Endothelial Cellular Response.

This work describes the interaction of the human blood plasma proteins albumin, fibrinogen, and γ-globulins with micro- and nanopatterned polymer interfaces. Protein adsorption studies were correlated with the fibrin clotting time of human blood plasma and with the growth of primary human pulmonary artery endothelial cells (hECs) on these patterns. It was observed that blends of polycaprolactone (PCL) and trimethylsilyl-protected cellulose form various thin-film patterns during spin coating, depending on the mass ratio of the polymers in the spinning solutions. Vapor-phase acid-catalyzed deprotection preserves these patterns but yields interfaces that are composed of hydrophilic cellulose domains enclosed by hydrophobic PCL. The blood plasma proteins are repelled by the cellulose domains, allowing for a suggested selective protein deposition on the PCL domains. An inverse proportional correlation is observed between the amount of cellulose present in the films and the mass of irreversibly adsorbed proteins. This results in significantly increased fibrin clotting times and lower masses of deposited clots on cellulose-containing films as revealed by quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation measurements. Cell viability of hECs grown on these surfaces was directly correlated with higher protein adsorption and faster clot formation. The results show that presented patterned polymer composite surfaces allow for a controllable blood plasma protein coagulation and a significant biological response from hECs. It is proposed that this knowledge can be utilized in regenerative medicine, cell cultures, and artificial vascular grafts by a careful choice of polymers and patterns.

Polysaccharide Thin Solid Films for Analgesic Drug Delivery and Growth of Human Skin Cells.

Chronic wounds not only lower the quality of patient's life significantly, but also present a huge financial burden for the healthcare systems around the world. Treatment of larger wounds often requires the use of more complex materials, which can ensure a successful renewal or replacement of damaged or destroyed tissues. Despite a range of advanced wound dressings that can facilitate wound healing, there are still no clinically used dressings for effective local pain management. Herein, alginate (ALG) and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), two of the most commonly used materials in the field of chronic wound care, and combination of ALG-CMC were used to create a model wound dressing system in the form of multi-layered thin solid films using the spin-assisted layer-by-layer (LBL) coating technique. The latter multi-layer system was used to incorporate and study the release kinetics of analgesic drugs such as diclofenac and lidocaine at physiological conditions. The wettability, morphology, physicochemical and surface properties of the coated films were evaluated using different surface sensitive analytical tools. The influence of in situ incorporated drug molecules on the surface properties (e.g., roughness) and on the proliferation of human skin cells (keratinocytes and skin fibroblasts) was further evaluated. The results obtained from this preliminary study should be considered as the basis for the development "real" wound dressing materials and for 3D bio-printing applications.

Systematic Evaluation of a Diclofenac-Loaded Carboxymethyl Cellulose-Based Wound Dressing and Its Release Performance with Changing pH and Temperature.

Development of drug-loaded wound dressings is often performed without systematic consideration of the changing wound environment that can influence such materials' performance. Among the crucial changes are the wound pH and temperature, which have an immense effect on the drug release. Detailed release studies based on the consideration of these changing properties provide an important aspect of the in vitro performance testing of novel wound dressing materials. A sodium carboxymethyl cellulose-based wound dressing, with the incorporated non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac, was developed and characterised in regard to its physico-chemical, structural and morphological properties. Further, the influence of pH and temperature were studied on the drug release. Finally, the biocompatibility of the wound dressing towards human skin cells was tested. Incorporation of diclofenac did not alter important properties (water retention value, air permeability) of the host material. Changes in the pH and temperature were shown to influence the release performance and have to be accounted for in the evaluation of such dressings. Furthermore, the knowledge about the potential changes of these parameters in the wound bed could be used potentially to predict, and potentially even to control the drug release from the developed wound dressing. The prepared wound dressing was also proven biocompatible towards human skin cells, making it interesting for potential future use in the clinics.

Multilayered Polysaccharide Nanofilms for Controlled Delivery of Pentoxifylline and Possible Treatment of Chronic Venous Ulceration.

Local drug delivery systems made from nontoxic polysaccharide nanofilms have an enormous potential in wound care. A detailed understanding of the structural, surface, physicochemical, and cytotoxic properties of such systems is crucial to design clinically efficacious materials. Herein, we fabricated polysaccharide-based nanofilms onto either a 2D model (SiO2 and Au sensors) or on nonwoven alginate 3D substrates using an alternating assembly of N,N,N-trimethylchitosan (TMC) and alginic acid (ALG) by a spin-assisted layer-by-layer (LbL) technique. These TMC/ALG multilayered nanofilms are used for a uniform encapsulation and controlled release of pentoxifylline (PTX), a potent anti-inflammatory drug for treatment of the chronic venous ulceration. We show a tailorable film growth and mass, morphology, as well as surface properties (charge, hydrophilicity, porosity) of the assembled nanofilms through control of the coating during the spin-assisted assembly. The uniform distribution of the encapsulated PTX in the TMC/ALG nanofilms is preserved even with when the amount of the incorporated PTX increases. The PTX release mechanism from the model and real systems is studied in detail and is very comparable for both systems. Finally, different cell-based assays illustrated the potential of the TMC/ALG multilayer system in wound care (e.g., treatment chronic venous ulceration) applications, including a decrease of TNF-α secretion, a common indicator of inflammation.

Synthesis and film formation of furfuryl- and maleimido carbonic acid derivatives of dextran.

Carbonic acid derivatives of dextran possessing furfuryl- and maleimido moieties were synthesized and processed into thin films by spin coating. First, products with different degrees of substitution (DS) of up to 3.0 and substitution patterns were obtained and characterized by NMR- and FTIR spectroscopy, as well as elemental analysis. Thin films possessing maleimide groups were obtained by spin coating of maleimido dextran (furan-protected) and dextran furfuryl carbamate that was converted with bismaleimide. The removal of the protecting group (furan) on the thin film was monitored by QCM-D and compared with gravimetric analysis of the bulk material. Film morphology and wettability were determined by means of AFM and contact angle measurements.

Interaction of Tissue Engineering Substrates with Serum Proteins and Its Influence on Human Primary Endothelial Cells.

Polymer-based biomaterials particularly polycaprolactone (PCL) are one of the most promising substrates for tissue engineering. The surface chemistry of these materials plays a major role since it governs protein adsorption, cell adhesion, viability, degradation, and biocompatibility in the first place. This study correlates the interaction of the most abundant serum proteins (albumin, immunoglobulins, fibrinogen) with the surface properties of PCL and its influence on the morphology and metabolic activity of primary human arterial endothelial cells that are seeded on the materials. Prior to that, thin films of PCL are manufactured by spin-coating and characterized in detail. A quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D), a multiparameter surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy instrument (MP-SPR), wettability data, and atomic force microscopy are combined to elucidate the pH-dependent protein adsorption on the PCL substrates. Primary endothelial cells are cultured on the protein modified polymer, and conclusions are drawn on the significant impact of type and form of proteins coatings on cell morphology and metabolic activity.