New methods for the investigation of blood-biomaterial interaction

Quantitative microscopy with integrated image processing is a useful tool for investigation of the interaction of blood components with biomaterials. We have developed new automated measuring devices suitable for simultaneously characterizing biological cells (size, shape, localization, migration, electrophoresis), synthetic particles (electrophoretic fingerprinting), and dialysis membranes (morphology, electric charge). These techniques are useful for the investigation of cell adherence on biomaterials, localization of cells in membrane filters (Chemotaxis), characterization of the protein adsorption on model systems, detection of cytokines (produced after lymphocyte-biomaterial contact), and estimation of morphological properties and charge distribution in dialysis membranes.