A core/sheath distribution of cell-adhesive and non-cell-adhesive surface coatings is produced in porous biodegradable poly(D,L-lactic acid) discs using sequential plasma polymerization. The figure and cover show an X-ray micro-computed tomography image of a section of a 10 mm diameter, 4 mm thick scaffold where fibroblast cells (shown in red) have been encouraged by the surface chemistry to penetrate to the scaffold core.