Evaluation of the Biocompatibility of Dialysis Membranes

Improvements in the biocompatibility of dialysis membranes have reduced biological responses elicited by blood-membrane interactions. In this article, recent technological developments in dialysis membranes with regard to biocompatibility and recent progress in the evaluation of the biocompatibility of dialysis membranes are reviewed.

The focus of investigation into dialysis membranes in recent years has focused on not only membrane materials, but also their surface textures, which have been changed, for example, by coating with vitamin E or by changing the amount and type of hydrophilizing agents used. Research and development is directed at altering the chemical and physical properties of membrane surfaces to suppress biological responses that are particularly elicited as a result of platelet activation. To develop membranes with excellent biocompatibility, biocompatibility should be evaluated on a like-for-like basis under conditions that are similar to those in clinical settings. Evaluation using actual dialyzers can be performed using porcine blood, platelet-rich plasma isolated from porcine blood (and platelet-rich plasma with leukocytes), or suspension of neutrophils isolated from porcine blood or cultured human monocytes.

Highly biocompatible dialysis membranes can be developed when the overall correlations among biological reactions are examined by integrating all data on biological responses elicited by blood-membrane interactions or mutual interactions among blood cells.