When a surface is exposed to a multi-protein solution, adsorption of certain protein molecules are favoured over the others. Protein molecules approaching the surface compete for binding sites. This results in a time-dependent increase in the contact points between protein and surface.

1. Protein and Cell-Resistant
Surfaces

2. Protein Resistant Surfaces

3. Introduction
Interaction between proteins and
biomaterials
• When the surface of an implanted biomaterial (synthetic
or natural) comes into contact with a biological fluid, such
as blood, a cascade of interdependent events takes place
and several signals are generated .
• Protein adsorption onto the surface is considered the most
important factor in the interaction between the biological
fluid and the biomaterial.
• Many factors affect the extent of protein adsorption,
including electrostatic interactions, water-mediated
hydrophobic and hydration forces.

4. Applications
Protein-resistant coatings for in vivo
and in vitro biosensors
• Biosensors are important tools for research in molecular biology, for medical
diagnostics, environmental monitoring and food safety, allowing real-time
observation and rapid detection of chemical and biological molecules and their
interactions.
• The success of a biosensor is based on sufficiently high and controlled binding
capacity of target biomolecules, and also the activity of the immobilized
biomolecules should be stable.
• One of the main problems with sensors, is loss of sensitivity due to biofouling,
namely due to adhesion of proteins and other biological materials on the
surface of the sensor.
• Biofouling (and its negative effects) has been observed in both in vitro (non-
invasive) and in vivo (invasive) biosensors and it is widely regarded as the main
cause of sensor failure.
• Potential interference can be caused by nonspecific adsorption of biomolecules
from the sample or the environment to the surface.
• In vitro protein fouling studies have shown that biofouling on the membrane
and the electrode would lead to decreased sensor signal.

5. Protein-resistant coatings for contact
lenses
• Soft contact lenses made with hydrogels have been widely
used for vision correction over more than 50 years.
• These lenses always suffer from challenges related to the
deposition of proteins from the tear fluid onto the lenses,
such as lysozyme, human serum albumin and globulin, and
subsequent formation of a coating layer of protein on the
surface will serve as a precursor for microbial colonization
and will induce the formation of biofilms.
• Therefore, protein adsorption on contact lenses is correlated
to microbial cell attachment and some severe issues for the
wearer. In addition, a strong correlation has been found
between the deposited lysozyme from the tear film onto the
lenses and discomfort experience by the wearer.

6. Protein-resistant hydrogel coatings
on porous materials
• Various types of hydrogels are protein repellent and the
hydrogels coated on the cell culturing biointerfaces have
great potential in reducing protein adsorption and
controlling cell adhesion.
• Hydrogels have also been used in coating porous materials
such as filtration membranes and tissue engineering
implants in order to reduce fouling from the proteins and
other components such as cells from the blood
serum/plasma.

7. Cell-Resistant Surfaces

8. Introduction
What are Cell-resistant surfaces?
• The surfaces which are resistant to the adsorption of
cells are known as Cell-resistant surfaces.
• They are majorly constructed from bulk polymers or
thin polymer films.
• They are also known as ''Non-fouling Surfaces'' that
resists the adhesion of cells on the surfaces.

9. Cell biomaterial interaction
• Cell-biomaterial interaction is referred to here as the
phenomenon involved in adherent cells attachment to
the biomaterial surface, and their related cell
functions such as growth, differentiation, migration
or apoptosis.
• This process is inherently complex in nature
involving many physico-chemical events which take
place at different scales ranging from molecular to
cell body (organelle) levels.
• The mechanical environment at the cell-biomaterial
location may play an important role in the subsequent
cell function.

11. What makes the surfaces resistant
to cells?
• The surface contains the relatively simple
polymer poly(ethylene glycol) or PEG:
(−CH2CH2O−)n

12. How cell resistant surfaces are
constructed?
• The construction of the surfaces via Self-
assembled monolayers(SAMs) is done due to
the robustness,versatility and wide-ranging
applications of these materials.
• PEG can be tethered to surfaces via
organosilane and organosulfur SAMs and
other coupling agents to produce materials
that reduce protein and cell adsorption.

14. References
1. Book-Introduction to Materials Science in
medicine
2. Langmuir-ACS Publications