How does protein adsorption work?

Protein adsorption is a net result of various complex interactions between and within all components including the solid surface, the protein, the solvent, and any other solutes present. These interaction forces include dipole and induced dipole moments, hydrogen bond forming, and electrostatic forces.

Why is protein adsorption important?

Protein adsorption on a material surface is a common but very complex phenomenon. The type and amount of adsorbed proteins on the surface play an important role in determining the ultimate biocompatibility and biofunctionality of a given material when exposed to a biological environment.

What is nonspecific protein adsorption?

Non-specific adsorption (NSA) is a persistent problem that negatively affects biosensors, decreasing sensitivity, specificity, and reproducibility. Passive and active removal methods exist to remedy this issue, by coating the surface or generating surface forces to shear away weakly adhered biomolecules, respectively.

Why is protein adsorption bad?

In the biomaterial field, protein adsorption is much less desirable because it can elicit adverse host responses such as blood coagulation and complement activation. On the other hand, cell adhesion to surfaces depends on the availability of specific protein-binding sites.

Why do proteins stick to plastic?

Proteins have the ability to non-specifically adsorb or adhere onto a working surface, such as a channel, chip, container, or pipette tip. Protein adhesion results from the structure of proteins. They contain both hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions that attract like-surfaces.

Which surface is more Favourable for protein adsorption?

This technique requires planar, reflecting surfaces, preferably quartz, silicon or silica, and a strong change in refractive index upon protein adsorption.

How can protein adsorption be prevented?

BSA (bovine serum albumin): One of the easiest ways to prevent protein adsorption is to add BSA to solvents or wash plasticware with a BSA solution. BSA coats plastics and glass very well and largely prevents proteins of interest from adsorbing.

How can you prevent losses of protein by adsorption to glass and plastic?

An improved procedure for reducing the loss of protein by adsorption to glass or plastic surfaces is reported. For working with proteins at the microgram level, the solvent is modified by adding glycerol (50% final concentration) or Triton X-100 (0.2 mm final concentration).

How does pH affect protein adsorption?

The medium pH is one of the key factors affecting protein adsorption behavior in terms of adsorption kinetics, amount and conformation of adsorbed protein molecules,[1, 2] as the change of pH can influence surface charge of both proteins and solid surfaces.

Do proteins adhere to glass?

Protein adhesion takes place whenever a protein comes into contact with a hydrophobic surface (like plastics and polymers) or a hydrophilic surface (like glass).

Does protein bind to polypropylene?

It is well established that proteins adsorb to polypropylene (just as in the coating of ELISA plates), and as a result, manufacturers have made polypropylene tubes [termed “low retention” or “low binding” (see Methods)] available that have been treated in order to decrease this adsorption.

What increases protein absorption?

By consuming carbohydrates with your protein, your body releases insulin. Elevated insulin levels help your muscles absorb amino acids, especially during muscle-building exercises. That means eating carbohydrates right before a high-intensity workout yields the best protein-absorbing results.