Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 27, 2026

Automated System for Single Molecule Fluorescence Measurements of Surface-immobilized Biomolecules
Published on: November 2, 2009
Immobilizing argatroban and mPEG-NH2 on a polyethersulfone membrane surface to prepare an effective nonthrombogenic
Yanling Dai1, Siyuan Dai1, Xiaohui Xie1
1a Department of Nephrology , Xiangya Hospital of Central South University , Changsha , Hunan , China.
Abstract:
Systemic anticoagulation is not suitable for hemodialysis (HD) patients with a high risk of bleeding in the clinic. An HD membrane that provides a localized anticoagulation membrane surface may be a promising strategy to solve this intractable problem for HD patients. Herein, we modified a nonthrombogenic polyethersulfone (PES) dialyzer membrane by grafting argatroban (AG) and methoxy polyethylene glycol amine (mPEG-NH2) via a polydopamine (PDA) strategy. The PES substrates were immersed in an alkaline dopamine solution for 24 h, and then, AG and mPEG-NH2 were sequentially grafted covalently onto the resultant membrane. Attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were utilized to confirm the successful introduction of PDA and the immobilization of AG and mPEG-NH2. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were used to observe the surface structure and morphology after the surface modification. The excellent antithrombotic abilities of the modified membrane were demonstrated by the suppression of platelet adhesion and activation, prolongation of clotting times, and inhibition of thrombin generation and complement activation. This work describes an efficient and convenient method to immobilize AG and mPEG-NH2 to create a nonthrombogenic biointerface for blood-contacting devices such as HD membranes.
Related Concept Videos
Surface Membrane Barriers
The outer layer of the skin, the epidermis, is a robust barrier comprising layers of closely packed keratinized cells. This dense arrangement prevents microbes from penetrating the body. The periodic shedding of epidermal cells...
Factors Affecting Dissolution: Particle Size and Effective Surface Area
Cell-surface Signaling
Buffer Effectiveness
The buffer capacity is the amount of acid or base that can be added to a given volume...
Surface Tension and Surface Energy
Consider a beaker filled with liquid. The bulk molecules in the liquid experience equal attractive forces on all sides with the surrounding molecules. However, the surface molecules experience a net attractive force downward due to the bulk molecules. The surface of the liquid behaves like a stretched membrane,...
Framing Effects

