Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 12, 2026
09:35
Real Time Measurements of Membrane Protein:Receptor Interactions Using Surface Plasmon Resonance SPR
Published on: November 29, 2014
23.7K
Measuring the Surface-Surface Interactions Induced by Serum Proteins in a Physiological Environment.
Zhaohui Wang1, Chuanxin He2, Xiangjun Gong3
1Department of Chemistry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong , Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong SAR, The People's Republic of China.
Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids
|November 1, 2016
Summary
Serum proteins adsorbed on surfaces can alter particle interactions, leading to unique colloidal particle behavior and stability in serum environments. This study used total internal reflection microscopy to investigate these effects.
Area of Science:
- Colloid and surface science
- Biophysics
- Materials science
Background:
- Understanding particle-surface interactions is crucial for applications in biological and material systems.
- The influence of complex biological fluids like fetal bovine serum (FBS) on these interactions is not fully understood.
- Polystyrene (PS) and silica are common materials used in various scientific and industrial applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To directly measure the interaction potentials between different particle-surface combinations (bare, bovine serum albumin (BSA)-coated, and polyethylene glycol (PEG)-coated polystyrene particles and silica surfaces).
- To investigate the effect of phosphate buffer solution (PBS) versus fetal bovine serum (FBS) on these interactions.
- To elucidate the role of adsorbed serum proteins in mediating particle-surface interactions.
Main Methods:
- Total internal reflection microscopy (TIRM) was employed to directly measure particle-surface interaction potentials.
- Dynamic light scattering (DLS) and ellipsometry were used to characterize adsorbed protein layers.
- Experiments were conducted with bare, BSA-coated, and PEG-coated polystyrene particles interacting with bare or coated silica surfaces in PBS and FBS.
Main Results:
- In PBS, irreversible deposition of all particle types onto silica surfaces was observed.
- In FBS, particle-surface interactions showed both free-diffusing and stuck particle profiles.
- Adsorbed serum proteins on surfaces mediated interactions, providing stabilization but also promoting bridging, resulting in wider potential profiles compared to PBS.
Conclusions:
- Serum proteins adsorbed onto surfaces significantly regulate particle-surface interactions.
- These adsorbed proteins can lead to unique colloidal particle behavior and stability in serum environments.
- Quantitative measurements provide critical insights into the complex interplay of proteins, surfaces, and particle dynamics.
