Human Blood Platelets Adsorption on Polymeric Materials for Liquid Biopsy

Abstract

Platelets are emerging as a promising source of blood biomarkers for several pathologies, including cancer. New automated techniques for easier manipulation of platelets in the context of lab-on-a-chips could be of great support for liquid biopsy. Here, several polymeric materials were investigated for their behavior in terms of adhesion and activation of human platelets. Polymeric materials were selected among the most used in microfabrication (PDMS, PMMA and COC) and commercial and home-made resins for 3D printing technology with the aim to identify the most suitable for the realization of microdevices for human platelets isolation and analysis. To visualize adherent platelets and their activation state scanning, electron microscopy was used, while confocal microscopy was used for evaluating platelets’ features. In addition, atomic force microscopy was employed to further study platelets adherent to the polymeric materials. Polymers were divided in two main groups: the most prone to platelet adhesion and materials that cause few or no platelets to adhere. Therefore, different polymeric materials could be identified as suitable for the realization of microdevices aimed at capturing human platelets, while other materials could be employed for the fabrication of microdevices or parts of microdevices for the processing of platelets, without loss on surfaces during the process.

Effective strategies to enhance the diagnosis and treatment of RCC: The application of biocompatible materials

“…Recent research has also emphasized the potential value of platelets as tumor biomarkers [ 60 ]. The advancement of miniaturized devices utilizing polymeric materials facilitates the isolation and examination of human platelets, particularly those with a propensity for platelet adhesion [ 61 ]. Polymeric materials offer distinct advantages in enhancing detection sensitivity, enhancing binding, and improving specificity; however, their widespread utilization is impeded by technical intricacies and high application costs [ 56 ].…”

PMMA/PDMS/MXene Nanofibers for Postsurgery Monitoring of Vascular Implants

“…In this work, the PDMS/PMMA nanofibers without MXene showed slightly reduced protein and platelet adhesion as compared to the PDMS film. When a comparison between platelet adhesion was made between the two polymers, PMMA was shown to possess a significantly lower platelet adhesion to PDMS with the same topographical structure . This was attributed to the presence of the ester bond in PMMA, which made it slightly hydrophilic.…”

Biocompatibility enhancement via post-processing of microporous scaffolds made by optical 3D printer

“…For this reason, many post-processing methods are used to wash out and/or crosslink the residual monomers to complete the polymerization process after printing, which can play a crucial role in the outcome. Post-washing protocols used in many studies include simple rinsing in solvents ( Tayalia et al, 2008 ; Grigaleviciute et al, 2020 ; Xu et al, 2021 ; Potrich et al, 2022 ), the use of rotary washing machines, and the use of ultrasonic baths ( Hart et al, 2020 ; Jin et al, 2022 ), which lead to different biocompatibility results depending on the washing time and temperature. Previous studies have shown that ultrasonic baths have a better washing result ( Jin et al, 2022 ), in the elution of monomers and that longer times usually increase cell viability values ( Grigaleviciute et al, 2020 ; Xu et al, 2021 ; Jin et al, 2022 ).…”