Real-Time Characterization of Fibrinogen Interaction with Modified Titanium Dioxide Film by Quartz Crystal Microbalance with Dissipation

The adsorption of fibrinogen can be used as a quick indicator of surface haemocompatibility because of its prominent role in coagulation and platelet adhesion. In this work the molec-ular interaction between flbrinogen and a modified titanium oxide surface/platelet has been studied by quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) in situ. In order to further characterize the conformation of adsorbed flbrinogen, αC and γ-chain antibody were used to check the orientation and denaturation of flbrinogen on solid surface. QCM-D investiga-tions revealed the flbrinogen have the trend to adsorb on hydrophilic surface in a side-on orientation by positively charged αC domains, which would reduce the exposure of platelet bonding site on γ chain and enable less platelet adhesion and be activated. These obser-vations suggest that certain conformations of adsorbed flbrinogen are less platelet adhesive than others, which opens a possibility for creating a non-platelet adhesive substrates.