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Updated: Jun 9, 2026

Attaching Biological Probes to Silica Optical Biosensors Using Silane Coupling Agents
Published on: May 1, 2012
Procoagulant properties of bare and highly PEGylated vinyl-modified silica nanoparticles
Regina Tavano1, Daniela Segat, Elena Reddi
1Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche Sperimentali, Università di Padova, Padova, Italy.
Aims:
Undesired alterations of the blood clotting balance may follow the intravascular injection of nanotherapeutics/diagnostics. Here, we tested the procoagulant activity of synthetic amorphous silica (SAS) and organically modified silica (ORMOSIL) nanoparticles (NPs) and whether a high-density polyethylene glycol coating minimizes these effects.
Materials & Methods:
Hageman factor- and tissue factor-dependent activation of human blood/plasma coagulation, and binding to human monocytes, endothelial cells and platelets were quantified in vitro using naked and PEGylated ORMOSIL-NPs. Their effects were compared with those of SAS-NPs, present in many industrial products, and of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)- and small unilamellar vesicles-NPs, already approved for use in humans.
Results:
Both SAS-NPs and ORMOSIL-NPS presented a significant procoagulant activity. However, highly PEGylated ORMOSIL-NPs were particularly averse to the interaction with the soluble factors and cellular elements that may lead to intravascular blood coagulation.
Conclusion:
Stealth, highly PEGylated ORMOSIL-NPs with a poor procoagulant activity can be used as starting blocks to design hemocompatible nanomedical-devices.

