High resolution β-imager: a new tool for characterizing 2D peptide distribution on biomimetic materials?

A common theme in engineering cell and tissue behavior at device surfaces is the biomimetic modification of the material in which peptides containing the adhesion domains of the extracellular matrix proteins are attached to the base material. Since the biological responses (e.g. the strength of the cell attachment, the cell migration rate and the extent of cytoskeletal organization formation) are dependent on several factors such as the receptor-ligand affinity, the density of ligand, and the spatial distribution of ligand, considering these parameters is important for the design of biomimetic materials. Consequently, this work deals with the presentation of a convenient and highly resolvent technique (High Resolution β-imager) allowing biomimetic surface modification to be analysed qualitatively and quantitatively. This gas avalanche imager was employed to characterize several biomimetic modification routes of titanium, showing the real interest of this system as a new imaging device for biomaterial surface characterization. It is presented by means of the determination of the RGDC peptide density and the homogeneity of the layout onto titanium at once. β activity was given by [35S]-cysteine that standed for RGDC peptide and the resulting amino-acid layout was characterized by High Resolution β-imager and X-Ray photoelectron Spectroscopy. Cysteine density was finally determined and results were discussed considering threshold densities governing biological events governing biological responses