Culture of Mammalian Cells on Single Crystal SiC Substrates

Abstract

ABSTRACTCrystalline silicon carbide (SiC) has the potential to become an important biomaterial and a versatile interface between the electronic and biological world. In this work, single crystal SiC biocompatibility is investigated by culturing mammalian cells directly on SiC substrates. The cell morphology and the quality of the cell adhesion have been studied using fluorescence microscopy, while MTT [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] assays have been performed to quantify cell viability and number. Standard culture-wells and silicon (Si) substrates were used as controls in the final assessment of crystalline SiC biocompatibility.