The effect of varying fibronectin concentration on the attachment of endothelial cells to polytetrafluoroethylene vascular grafts.

Endothelial cell seeding onto untreated polytetrafluoroethylene vascular prostheses is inefficient. In an effort to improve cell attachment, numerous investigators have used fibronectin as a coating material to pretreat the luminal surfaces of these prostheses. The concentrations of fibronectin used have varied enormously, and no one has yet determined the most efficient concentration in terms of cell attachment and cost. Using endothelial cells labeled with indium 111 oxine we have studied the effect of varying fibronectin concentration on the attachment of these cells onto polytetrafluoroethylene vascular grafts. Seeding efficiency was significantly better in all groups of coated grafts, at all times (10, 30, 60, and 120 minutes), compared to uncoated controls (p less than 0.01). Overall, fibronectin at a concentration of 20 micrograms/ml was found to be the most efficient in terms of cell attachment and cost since any further increase in concentration was not accompanied by increased cell attachment. We now routinely use fibronectin at a concentration of 20 micrograms/ml to coat our grafts before endothelial cell seeding.