PROTEIN ADSORPTION ON FUNCTIONAL HYDROPHILIC POLYMER BEADS - ROLE OF STRUCTURAL-PROPERTIES AND MEDIUM CONDITIONS

Acrylic polymer beads comprising a combination of 2-hydroxyethylmethac rylate (HEMA) with acrylic acid, dimethylaminoethylmethacrylate (DMAEM A), and methylmethacrylate were prepared by suspension copolymerizatio n technique. In this study, we have examined the effects of polymer st ructural properties and medium conditions on the adsorption of plasma proteins, i.e. bovine serum albumin (BSA) and fibrinogen. The studies were carried out in dilute solutions and measurements of adsorbed prot eins were realized by fluorescence spectroscopy. It was shown that the extent of protein adsorption depends upon the hydrophilicity and elec trical charge of both of the polymeric surfaces and proteins. In addit ion, environmental conditions affect the adsorption behaviour by chang ing the structure of protein molecules. The maximum adsorption was obs erved on poly(HEMA-DMAE) beads for both of BSA and fibrinogen. For thi s polymeric structure multilayer BSA adsorption was observed in the ra nge of 0.1-0.5 mg/ml solution concentration. For all surfaces, the ads orbed quantity of fibrinogen was greater than that of BSA.