Suppression of cell and platelet adhesion to star-shaped 8-armed poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(L-lactide) block copolymer films

To explore the potential of a star-shaped 8-armed poly(ethylene glycol)35K-block-poly(L-lactide)37K (8-armed PEG35K-b-PLLA37K: M(n) of PEG = 35 000, M(n) of PLLA = 37 000) film as a novel bioabsorbable adhesion-prevention membrane, the water structure, surface contact angle, protein adsorption, and cell and platelet anti-adhesion properties of such a hydrated film are investigated. Based on the results, it is found that the 8-armed PEG35K-b-PLLA37K film exhibits a biologically inert surface, which is the result of a large number of PEG chains and a free water layer on the film surface. This leads to a reduction in protein absorption and cell and platelet adhesion onto the film surface. This implies that the star-shaped 8-armed PEG35K-b-PLLA37K film can be utilized as a novel bioabsorbable adhesion-prevention membrane.