A medical device having a coating of cell adhesion polypeptides to enhance endothelial cell adhesion onto the medical device. The cell adhesion polypeptides may be any of the proteins of the extracellular matrix which are known to play a role in cell adhesion or derivative peptides such as RGD or YIGSR. The polypeptides may be incorporated into the backbone of a polymer such as polyurethane, or grafted onto a polymer such polybisphosphonate. The polypeptides may also be carried on antibodies or displayed on bacteriophages. The polypeptides may also be modified to have adhesive amino acid sequences. In certain embodiments, the medical device further comprises a temporary barrier that protects the polypeptides from biofouling. The temporary barrier may be formed of a biodegradable polymer and be constructed as a coating over the polypeptides or as a plurality of micelles encapsulating the polypeptides. In certain embodiments, the polypeptides may be coated onto the medical device in such a manner as to form a monolayer of the polypeptides.
