Blood compatibility of particulate carriers investigated by cell electrophoresis and particle electrophoresis: A preliminary report

Polyethylene glycol (PEG) and dextran were covalently coupled, or only adso rbed, to the surface of three kinds of inorganic particles in order to shie ld their surface and reduce their nonspecific binding to red blood cells. S urface modification as well as interaction of particles with red blood cell s was followed up by particle electrophoresis. This allowed a quick evaluat ion of the efficiency of polymer coupling. Moreover, the nonspecific bindin g of particles to red blood cells was easily investigated with cell electro phoresis, showing the inhibitory effect of immobilized PEG-5000 or dextran. The electrophoretic mobility analysis presented here may be used for scree ning blood compatibility of particulate drug carriers and could be helpful in formulating long-living circulating particles.