Poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone)-modified surfaces for biomedical applications.

Poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP), an important water soluble synthetic polymer, has many desirable properties including low toxicity, chemical stability, and good biocompatibility. Since PVP is hemocompatible and physiologically inactive, it has been used as a blood plasma substitute. Surface modification with PVP has been investigated extensively over the past few years as a means of preventing nonspecific protein adsorption. PVP may therefore be seen as a promising antifouling surface modifier comparable to poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG). In this review, various approaches for the design and preparation of PVP-modified surfaces are summarized and potential biomedical applications of these PVP-modified materials are indicated. Finally, some perspectives on future research on PVP for surface modification are discussed.