The Vroman effect: competitive protein exchange with dynamic multilayer protein aggregates.

The surface immobilization of proteins is an emerging field with applications in a wide range of important areas: biomedical devices, disease diagnosis, biosensing, food processing, biofouling, and bioreactors. Proteins, in Nature, often work synergistically, as in the important enzyme mixture, cellulase. It is necessary to preserve these synergies when utilizing surface immobilized proteins.

Ion-implanted polytetrafluoroethylene enhances Saccharomyces cerevisiae biofilm formation for improved immobilization.

The surface of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) was modified using plasma immersion ion implantation (PIII) with the aim of improving its ability to immobilize yeast. The density of immobilized cells on PIII-treated and -untreated PTFE was compared as a function of incubation time over 24 h. Rehydrated yeast cells attached to the PIII-treated PTFE surface more rapidly, with higher density, and greater attachment strength than on the untreated surface.