This paper presents a method for polyurethane surface functionalization for tissue engineering applications. Functionalization has been carried out by grafting acrylic acid to the polyurethane surface with the use of radical polymerization with a Ce⁴⁺ initiator. Contrary to other papers suggesting that the presence of hydroxyl groups are essential for successful grafting via ceric ions, we propose a method with the omission of the surface hydroxylation step. The influence of reaction conditions: reaction time, reaction temperature and monomer concentration on carboxyl groups surface density has been analyzed and described. The quantity of carboxyl groups on the surface was determined with the use of the TBO method. Materials grafted with acrylic acid have been subjected to conjugation with a peptide using sulfoNHS/ EDC chemistry. Successful incorporation of the peptide has been confirmed by an ELISA assay. Additionally, for better characterization, after each step of modification materials were subjected to SEM, FTIR-ATR, XPS and contact angle measurement analysis.

This study aimed to analyze the growth of two types of blood vessel building cells: endothelial cells (ECs) and smooth muscle cells (SMCs) on surfaces with different morphology. Two types of materials, differing in morphology, were produced by the solution blow spinning technique. One-layer materials consisted of one fibrous layer with two fibrous surfaces. Bi-layer materials consisted of one fibrous-solid layer and one fibrous layer, resulting in two different surfaces. Additionally, materials with different average fiber diameters (about 200, 500, and 900 nm) were produced for each group. It has been shown that it is possible to obtain structures with a given morphology by changing the selected process parameters (working distance and polymer solution concentration). Both morphology (solid versus fibrous) and average fiber diameter (submicron fibers versus microfibers) of scaffolds influenced the growth of ECs. However, this effect was only visible after an extended period of culture (6 days). In the case of SMCs, it was proved that the best growth of SMCs is obtained for micron fibers (with an average diameter close to 900 nm) compared to the submicron fibers (with an average diameter below 900 nm).