Suppose you are developing a next-generation vascular graft that is engineered to promote endothelialization (i.e., coverage with a healthy monolayer of endothelial cells). Thus, you are charged with performing in vitro experiments to evaluate how changes in surface chemistry affect endothelial cell attachment and behavior.

a. What two parameters would you measure to evaluate endothelial cell attachment?

b. Thrombomodulin expression is a key marker of healthy endothelium. How would you characterize thrombomodulin expression at the genetic level by endothelial cells growing on your graft material? For full credit, you must name the method and explain the steps involved.