| Abstract: | An increasing demand for biomaterials corresponds to the deficiency in the knowledge on biocompatibility. To increase this knowledge the modification of polymer surfaces, their characterization, and the investigation of the response of the biosystem is considered to be a suitable approach. Surface modification may be performed in the wet-chemical way (heterogeneous reaction) or by means of treatment with a suitable plasma (glow discharge). Surface sensitive methods such as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy in the attenuated total reflexion mode as well as surface energy measurements are useful for surface characterization. To determine the bioresponse to the polymer surface, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, cell growth and full blood tests may be used. In the present paper several systems are described with respect to their surface modification, characterization, and bioresponse. It is shown that the protein adsorption is triggered by the surface, that SO2 plasma treatment enhances cell growth and that there seems to be a biocompatibility window for a surface characterized by a ξ-potential between −4 and −8 mV and a ratio of dispersive to polar contributions of surface energy around 12. It is stressed, however, that the final solution for a biomaterial is a material which, in the course of degradation, constantly presents a new biocompatible surface. |
