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Characterization of carotid endothelial cell proliferation on Au, Au/GO, and Au/rGO surfaces by electrical impedance spectroscopy

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Abstract

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, testing the biocompatibility of graphene coatings can be considered as the first to demonstrate human carotid endothelial cell (HCtAEC) proliferation on Au, graphene oxide–coated Au (Au/GO), and reduced graphene oxide–coated Au (Au/rGO) surfaces. We hypothesized that stent material modified with graphene (G)-based coatings could be used as electrodes for electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in monitoring cell cultures, i.e., endothelialization. Alamar Blue cell viability assay and cell staining and cell counting with optical images were performed. For EIS analysis, an EIS sensor consisting of Au surface electrodes was produced by the photolithographic technique. Surface characterizations were performed by considering scanning electron microscope (SEM) and water contact angle analyses. Results showed that GO and rGO coatings did not prevent neither the electrical measurements nor the cell proliferation and that rGO had a positive effect on HCtAEC proliferation. The rate of increase of impedance change from day 1 to day 10 was nearly fivefold for all electrode surfaces. Alamar Blue assay performed to monitor cell proliferation rates between groups, and rGO has shown the highest Alamar Blue reduction value of 43.65 ± 8.79%.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank to Mehmet Yumak, Ahmet Turan Talaş, and all the employees of Boğaziçi University Life Science and Technologies Implementation and Research Center.

Funding

This work is supported by Boğaziçi University Research Fund by Grant No. 10040 and No. 7142 and partially by Grant No. 6701.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Bogazici University, Uskudar, Istanbul, Turkey

    Fatma Şimşek, Osman Melih Can, Bora Garipcan & Özgür Kocatürk

  2. Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Bahcesehir University, Besiktas, Istanbul, Turkey

    Yekta Ülgen

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  1. Fatma Şimşek
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Contributions

Conceptualization: F.S, B.G. Study design: F.S., O.M.C, B.G, Y.U, O.K. Funding acquisition: F.S, O.M.C. Experimental design: F.S, O.M.C, B.G, O.K, Y.U. Data collection and data analysis: F.S. Drafting of the manuscript: F.S. Editing and revision of the manuscript: F.S, B.G, Y.U. Approval of the final version of manuscript: F.S, O.M.C, B.G, O.K, Y.U.

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Correspondence to Fatma Şimşek.

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Şimşek, F., Can, O.M., Garipcan, B. et al. Characterization of carotid endothelial cell proliferation on Au, Au/GO, and Au/rGO surfaces by electrical impedance spectroscopy. Med Biol Eng Comput 58, 1431–1443 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11517-020-02166-0

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