Effect of chemical treatment of silicon gel on tissue compatibility

Background Silicon gel is unfavourable for cell attachment and growth. This study was to study if pretreating the surface of silicon gel with chemical agents affects the proliferation of epithelial cells. Methods Silicon gel was made and treated with either mixed acid solution (containing 232 g/dm3 of H2SO4 and 8 g/dm3 of K2Cr2O7) or 300 cm3/dm3 peroxide for 5, 10, and 15 minutes or 10, 15, and 20 minutes, respectively. The cultured corneal epithelial cells were seeded onto those silicon gels and kept for 13 days. Immunohistochemical investigations were then carried out for integrin (alpha 6 or beta 4) and actin. Results Growth of the epithelial cells in silicon gels treated with mixed acid solution for 10 minutes and 15 minutes was much significant than that in the untreated gels. After a 12-hour culture, a small number of corneal epithelial cells were proliferated on the surface of the silicon gels that had been treated with peroxide for 15 minutes. After a 3-day culture, those cells were further proliferated and fused together. The corneal epithelial cells did not grow well in the silicon gels treated with peroxide for 10 or 20 minutes. Immunostaining revealed the expression of actin and integrin alpha 6 or beta 4 on the silicon gels that were treated with mixed acid solution for 10 minutes or peroxide for 15 minutes. Conclusion Silicon gels treated either with mixed acid solution for 10 or 15 minutes or with peroxide for 15 minutes improves cell proliferation.