EX-VIVO LEUKOCYTE ADHESION AND PROTEIN ADSORPTION ON TIN

Titanium nitride (TiN) is regarded as a potential biomaterial for bloo d-contact applications. Its in vitro haemocompatibility has been evalu ated already and gave promising results. The purpose of this study was to continue studying its 'biological' behaviour through an ex vivo ev aluation. The material was a physical vapour deposition elaborated TiN coating and the phenomena observed were leucocyte adhesion and albumi n and fibrinogen adsorption. These ex vivo results were compared with in vitro results obtained previously. Two reference medical grade sili cone elastomer and three TIN arterio-arterial extra-corporeal circuits were tested. No leucocyte was retained by TiN, as in in vitro experim ents; the ex vivo fibrinogen adsorbed quantity was higher and albumin adsorption was about the same in in vitro ard in ex vivo situations. T IN can be considered as a suitable blood-contacting material.