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Cells on biomaterials – some aspects of elemental analysis by means of electron probes

Electron probe X‐ray microanalysis enables concomitant observation of specimens and analysis of their elemental composition. The method is attractive for engineers developing tissue‐compatible biomaterials. Either changes in element composition of cells or biomaterial can be defined according to well‐established preparation and quantification procedures. However, the qualitative and quantitative elemental analysis appears more complicated when cells or thin tissue sections are deposited on biomaterials. X‐ray spectra generated at the cell/tissue–biomaterial interface are modelled using a Monte Carlo simulation of a cell deposited on borosilicate glass. Enhanced electron backscattering from borosilicate glass was noted until the thickness of the biological layer deposited on the substrate reached 1.25 μm. It resulted in significant increase in X‐ray intensities typical for the elements present in the cellular part. In this case, the mean atomic number value of the biomaterial determines the strength of this effect. When elements are present in the cells only, the positive linear relationship appears between X‐ray intensities and cell thickness. Then, spatial dimensions of X‐ray emission for the particular elements are exclusively in the range of the biological part and the intensities of X‐rays become constant. When the elements are present in both the cell and the biomaterial, X‐ray intensities are registered for the biological part and the substrate simultaneously leading to a negative linear relationship of X‐ray intensities in the function of cell thickness. In the case of the analysis of an element typical for the biomaterial, strong decrease in X‐ray emission is observed in the function of cell thickness as the effect of X‐ray absorption and the limited excitation range to biological part rather than to the substrate. Correction procedures for calculations of element concentrations in thin films and coatings deposited on substrates are well established in materials science, but little is known about factors that have to be taken into account to accurately quantify bioelements in thin and semi‐thick biological samples. Thus thorough tests of currently available quantification procedures are required to verify their applicability to cells or tissues deposited on the biomaterials.