Selective Interaction Between Proteins and the Outermost Surface of Polyelectrolyte Multilayers: Influence of the Polyanion Type, pH and Salt

Author(s): Müller, Martin, Theresia Rieser, Paul L. Dubin, Klaus Lunkwitz

Journal: Macromol. Rapid Commun. (2001) 22: 390-395.

Abstract:
The surface modification of polymer or inorganic bulk materials that come into contact with biological fluids, is of interest for the food or medical device technology (e. g., membranes, tubing, storage containers), since bioadhesion may alter the surface properties and lower the quality of these materials. One way to generate bioinert surfaces is to block the protein adsorption, since adsorbed protein layers serve as adhesion promotors for the further binding of higher biological functional units, such as cells. Different methods of surface modification have been followed in the past years to obtain protein inert surfaces, among which the creation of hydrophilic surfaces by immobilizing poly(ethylene glycol) or the use of self-assembled monolayers consisting of attached oligomeric chains of ethylene glycols (OEG-SAMs) are the most prominent. Other reports include the graft polymerization of ionic and non-ionic monomers onto PET fibers to lower the protein adsorption, and the polymerization of acrylic acid monomers surface-initiated by macromonomers, which also improved the frictional properties of biomaterials (catheters).