The present article reports on the effect of electric potential on the adsorption of collagen type I (the most abundant component of the organic phase of bone) onto optically transparent carbon films (OTCE) and its mediation on subsequent adhesion of adult, human, mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). For this purpose, adsorption of collagen type I was investigated as a function of the protein concentration (0.01, 0.1, and 0.25 mg/mL) and applied potential (open circuit potential (OCP; control), +400, +800, and +1500 mV). The resulting substrate surfaces were characterized using spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and cyclic voltammetry (CV). Adsorption of collagen type I onto OTCE was affected by the potential applied to the sorbent surface and the concentration of protein. The higher the applied potential and protein concentration, the higher the adsorbed amount (Γcollagen). It was also observed that the application of potential values higher than +800 mV resulted in the oxidation of the adsorbed protein. Subsequent adhesion of hMSCs on the OTCEs (pre-coated with the collagen type I films) under standard cell culture conditions for 2 hours was affected by the extent of collagen pre-adsorbed onto the OTCE substrates. Specifically, enhanced hMSCs adhesion was observed when the Γcollagen was the highest. When the collagen type I was oxidized (under applied potential > +800 mV) however, hMSCs adhesion was decreased. These results provide the first correlation between the effects of electric potential on protein adsorption and subsequent modulation of anchorage-dependent cell adhesion.