In situ ATR/FTIR studies of protein adsorption on polymeric materials: effectiveness of surface heparinization

The adsorption of two proteins from human plasma (human serum albumin (HSA) and human fibrinogen (HFG) onto six different polymeric surfaces (two of which are heparinized), has been studied byin situ ATR/FTIR spectroscopy. The different surface characteristics are reflected by different interfacial behaviours of the two proteins, but while both proteins unfold upon adsorption on all the different non-heparinized materials, they maintain the native conformation once adsorbed on the heparinized surfaces. These findings emphasize the effectiveness of surface heparinization.