Successful Development of Biocompatible Polymers Designed by Natures Original Inspiration

Novel polymer biomaterials, which can be used in contact with blood, are prepared with strong inspiration from the surface structure of cell membranes. That is, the polymers with a phospholipid polar group in the side chain, 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) polymers were synthesized. The MPC polymers can inhibit surface-induced clot formation effectively, when they are in contact with blood even in the absence of an anticoagulant. This phenomenon was due to the reduction of plasma protein and suppression of denaturation of adsorbed proteins, that is the MPC polymers interact with blood components very mildly. As the molecular structure of the MPC polymer was easily designed by changing the monomer units and their composition, it could be applied to surface modification of artificial organs and biomedical devices for improving blood and tissue compatibility. Thus, the MPC polymers are useful polymer biomaterials for manufacturing high performance artificial organs and biomedical devices to provide safe medical treatments.