PRINCIPLES UNDERLYING THE ROLE OF ADSORBED PLASMA-PROTEINS IN BLOOD INTERACTIONS WITH FOREIGN MATERIALS

The influence of adsorbed proteins on platelet interactions with bioma terials and the principles underlying protein adsorption to biomateria ls from blood are reviewed. These principles are: 1) the monolayer mod el; 2) differences in the intrinsic affinity and bulk concentration of the proteins that are the driving forces determining the composition of the adsorbed layer from plasma; 3) the contribution of surface prop erties to selective adsorption; and 4) variations in the biological re activity of the adsorbed proteins. Schematic representations of data f rom single, binary, and multiple protein mixtures are used to illustra te the principles involved. Physicochemical aspects of protein adsorpt ion are briefly summarized. The author concludes that fundamental prog ress in designing new and better biomaterials will ensue from a deeper understanding of the role of adsorbed proteins in determining platele t interactions with biomaterials.