de Queiroz A A, Castro S C, Higa O Z
Escola Federal de Engenharia de Itajubá, Instituto de Ciências, MG, Brazil.
J Biomater Sci Polym Ed. 1997;8(5):335-47. doi: 10.1163/156856297x00137.
The interaction of plasma proteins such as albumin, gamma-globulin, and fibrinogen with the surface of graft copolymers DMAA-G-PTFE, DMAA-G-PETFE, and DMAA-G-PE obtained by radiation graft polymerization was studied. The adsorption of serum proteins was affected by the hydrophilicity of the graft copolymers. Increased albumin adsorption and decreased fibrinogen and gamma-globulin adsorption with increasing grafting levels was shown. A certain range of degrees of grafting showed an improved blood compatibility of the polymeric surfaces due to the existence of a hydrophilic/hydrophobic balance on the polymers. The results suggest that the DMAA-G-PTFE, DMAA-G-PETFE, and DMAA-G-PE graft copolymers can be used as biomaterials for long-term use in cardiovascular systems.
