Antifouling Polymer Brushes Displaying Antithrombogenic\nSurface Properties

Abstract

The contact of blood with artificial\nmaterials generally leads\nto immediate protein adsorption (fouling), which mediates subsequent\nbiological processes such as platelet adhesion and activation leading\nto thrombosis. Recent progress in the preparation of surfaces able\nto prevent protein fouling offers a potential avenue to mitigate this\nundesirable effect. In the present contribution, we have prepared\nseveral types of state-of-the-art antifouling polymer brushes on polycarbonate\nplastic substrate, and investigated their ability to prevent platelet\nadhesion and thrombus formation under dynamic flow conditions using\nhuman blood. Moreover, we compared the ability of such brushesgrafted\non quartz via an adlayer analogous to that used on polycarbonateto\nprevent protein adsorption from human blood plasma, assessed for the\nfirst time by means of an ultrahigh frequency acoustic wave sensor.\nResults show that the prevention of such a phenomenon constitutes\none promising route toward enhanced resistance to thrombus formation,\nand suggest that antifouling polymer brushes could be of service in\nbiomedical applications requiring extensive blood-material surface\ncontact.