Submicron Features Patterned on Surfaces of Polymer Biomaterials Can Prevent Blood Clots

Implanting artificial materials or devices in patients can cause adverse reactions when contacting natural tissue and blood. In blood-related defense mechanisms, plasma proteins quickly adsorb on the biomaterial surfaces and trigger a series of biochemical events that lead to platelet adhesion and aggregation into blood clots. The clotting can hinder the performance of an artificial device and can be life-threatening in some instances.

Now, Isabel Rodriguez from the Institute of Materials Research and Engineering of A*STAR, Singapore, and co-workers have discovered that adding miniature topographical features to polymer surfaces can reduce blood coagulation and improve the ‘hemocompatibility’, or blood compatibility, of biomaterials1.

Using chemical modifications, many researchers have tried to coat or graft a secondary material to the surface of biomaterials to enhance their biocompatibility. Attempts to date, however, have met with limited success.

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