AVS 53rd International Symposium
    Plasma Science and Technology Thursday Sessions
       Session PS2-ThM

Paper PS2-ThM9
Plasma-Polymerised Surface Chemical Gradients as Platforms for Making Biomolecule Gradients

Thursday, November 16, 2006, 10:40 am, Room 2011

Session: Plasmas and Polymers
Presenter: D.E. Robinson, University of Sheffield, UK
Authors: D.E. Robinson, University of Sheffield, UK
R.D. Short, University of Sheffield, UK
D.J. Buttle, University of Sheffield, UK
T. Day, University of Manchester, UK
A. Marson, University of Manchester, UK
K. Parry, Plasso Technology
Correspondent: Click to Email
A continuous variation in a surface chemical feature (i.e. a gradient) is important in controlling a variety of processes, biological@footnote 1@ and chemical.@footnote 2,3@ The production of such features on the millimetre and sub-millimetre scale length on a material surface is a challenge, and the methods employed currently are only suitable for one-off experiments. Gradients of chemical functionalities may be fabricated by plasma polymerisation, using a moving slot, to separate plasma from the collecting substrate (and simultaneous control of two monomer gas ratios).@footnote 4@ This method offers advantages over others, vis-a -vis the robust (stable) nature of the gradients, and the scalability of the method, an exact precision in the start and end point and shape of the gradient, gradients can be fabricated onto a wide range of substrates, e.g. plastics, glass and metals. A gradient of functional heparin (a gylcosaminogylcan(GAGs)) is fabricated by depositing a plasma-polymerised gradient of allyl amine (the co monomer is octadiene). A gradient of plasma-polymerised allyl amine is incubated with native heparin, forming a functional gradient. Functionality is demonstrated by binding of known heparin-binding proteins.@footnote 5@ Gradients of GAGs are important in functional diversity, playing fundamental roles in biological processes such as blood clotting, tissue structure and organisation, development and morphogenesis and many disease processes. The fabrication of a heparin gradient provides an important research tool by which some of these processes can be studied in vitro. @FootnoteText@ @footnote 1@N L Jeon, K W Dertinger, G M Whitesides, et al., Langmuir 2000, 16, 8311@footnote 2@J Aizebnberg, A J Black, G M Whitesides, Nature 1999, 398, 495 @footnote 3@B S Gallardo, V K Gupta, et al., Science 1999, 283, 57 @footnote 4@J D Whittle, D Barton M Alexander, R D Short, Chem. Comm., 2003, 14, 1766 @footnote 5@D J Mahoney, A J Day, R D Short et al., Anal. Biochem. 2004, 330, 123-129.