IUVSTA 15th International Vacuum Congress (IVC-15), AVS 48th International Symposium (AVS-48), 11th International Conference on Solid Surfaces (ICSS-11)
    Biomaterials Thursday Sessions
       Session BI-ThM

Invited Paper BI-ThM1
Physicochemical Properties of Polysaccharide Coatings as Determinants of Protein Adsorption

Thursday, November 1, 2001, 8:20 am, Room 102

Session: Protein Surface Interaction
Presenter: S.L. McArthur, University of Washington
Authors: P.G. Hartley, CSIRO Molecular Science, Australia
S.L. McArthur, University of Washington
K.M. McLean, CSIRO Molecular Science, Australia
S. Oiseth, Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden
G. Johnson, CSIRO Molecular Science, Australia
H.J. Griesser, CSIRO Molecular Science, Australia
Correspondent: Click to Email
The use of protein resistant coatings has long been seen as a means of controlling the biological response to implanted materials. Whilst many such surfaces have been produced, the properties which give rise to their protein resistant character are often poorly elucidated. Polysaccharides have been frequently employed as surface modification agents in the biomaterials area by virtue of their ready availability and apparent protein repellancy. The ability to chemically derivatize polysaccharides is a further key feature which suits them to studies of the relationship between surface chemistry and protein adsorption. In our studies we have utilized this ability to produce a range of derivatized dextran coatings with variable physico-chemical properties. These properties have been characterized in detail using both aqueous and high vacuum surface analytical techniques. These results have then been correlated with the protein adsorption behaviour of the surfaces. The results highlight the interplay between surface charge and steric interactions in determining the protein selectivity and/or repellency of the polysaccharide surfaces. In addition, we have further correlated the surface properties with biological responses using in vitro cell adhesion and growth studies. These studies demonstrate that control over cellular responses may be achieved to a large extent by the manipulation of non-specific interactions between polysaccharide surfaces and extracellular matrix proteins.