Direct observation of interaction between proteins and blood-compatible polymer surfaces

The adhesion force between blood-compatible polymer (poly(2-methoxyethyl acrylate: PMEA) and proteins (fibrinogen and bovine serum albumin (BSA)) were measured by atomic force microscopy. The PMEA surface showed almost no adhesion to native protein molecules, whereas non-blood-compatible poly(n-butyl acrylate): PBA strongly adhered to proteins. Interestingly, adhesion did appear between PMEA and proteins when the proteins were denatured. In all cases, these trends were not affected by the conditions of the solution. Combining the results with previous reports, the authors conclude that interfacial water molecules play a critical role in the protein resistance of PMEA.