Abstract
A Fourier transform infrared/attenuated total reflectance technique has been developed to study protein adsorption onto surfaces. The application of this technique to an ex vivo model using a beagle dog as the source of whole, flowing blood is described (currently, high-quality infrared spectra are being collected at 5-s intervals of protein adsorption). This approach has enabled the authors to identify albumin and glycoproteins as the initially adsorbing species, with the subsequent competitive replacement of part of this protein layer with fibrinogen and other proteins. The exact relationship between the pattern of protein adsorption from whole blood and the generation of a thrombus (clot) is not yet clear, but it is hoped that this type of experimental approach will help clarify the relationship.
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