Surface Modification of Polyhydroxyalkanoates toward Enhancing Cell Compatibility and Antibacterial Activity

Biomaterials for in vivo application should induce positive interaction with various histocytes and inhibit bacteria inflection as well. Cells and/or bacteria response to the extracellular environment is therefore the basic principle to design the biomaterials surface in order to induce the specific biomaterial–biological interaction. Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHAs) are of growing interests because of their natural origin, biodegradability, biocompatibility, and thermoplasticity; however, quite inert and intrinsic hydrophobic characteristics have hindered their extensive usage in medical applications. Surface modification of PHAs tailors the chemistry, wettability, and topography without altering the bulk properties, and introduces specific proteins/peptides and/or antibacterial agents to mediate cell–matrix interactions. This review describes the recent developments on the surface modification of PHAs to construct cell compatible and antibacterial surfaces. Inert and hydrophobic characteristics of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) have limited in vivo biomedical applications. Surface modifications to introduce reactive functional groups add valuable attributes to PHAs, which can further immobilize specific proteins/peptides and/or antibacterial agents to mediate cell–matrix interactions. This review describes the recent developments on the surface modification of PHAs to tailor the interactions with cells or bacteria in vivo.