Abstract

Microfluidics for Evaluating the Hemocompatibility of Functionalized Graphene Oxide and its Implication for Antithrombotic Application

Kenry , Student, National University Of Singapore

As one of the most complex and dynamic physiological systems, blood flow plays an important role in regulating the circulatory system for the proper execution of physiological functions. As such, disturbance to the normal functioning of blood flow may bear negative health consequences like thrombosis. Under dynamic blood flow, the formation of blood clots is largely driven by the adsorption of plasma proteins followed by the adhesion of blood cells on the implant surface. For decades, the development of effective blood-contacting biomedical devices has been hindered by the undesirable formation of blood clots in the vicinity of implants during the blood-material interactions. Various nanomaterials have been developed for antithrombotic coating applications, including graphene and its derivatives. Here, we investigate the antithrombotic property of albumin-functionalized graphene oxide (GO) and its potential for antithrombotic coating application under flow. We examine the loading capacities, conformational changes, and adsorptions of two plasma proteins, i.e., albumin and fibrinogen, on GO. We then probe the antithrombotic property of albumin-functionalized GO. From the dynamic flow experiments using the integrated GO-microfluidic platform, we show that the albumin-GO conjugate displays enhanced antithrombotic characteristic and may be potentially utilized as an antithrombotic coating material of blood-contacting devices under dynamic flow.