In vivo and in vitro blood compatibility of polyelectrolyte complexes formed between cellulose derivatives

Abstract

AbstractThe blood compatibility of cellulosic polyelectrolyte complexes (PECs) and the effect of excess charge in PEC on the blood compatibility were examined in detail by both in vivo and in vitro blood tests. For this purpose, two types of quaternary ammonium cellulose derivatives were prepared by treating cellulose or hydroxyethyl cellulose with glycidyl trimethylammonium chloride. In vivo blood tests were made by implanting the polymer‐coated suture into a jugular and femoral vein of a dog. In vitro blood tests include the measurement of whole blood coagulation time on polymer‐coated glass tubes, platelet adhesion measurements using a column packed with polymer‐coated glass beads, and a measurement of activation of the intrinsic coagulation system. It was found that among the PECs examined, the PECs containing quaternary ammonium derivatives as polycation components have an excellent blood compatibility. The experiments on the effect of excess charge in PEC revealed that (i) the relative coagulation time of whole blood is almost independent of the mole ratio of polycation to polyanion component within the mole ratios examined, being in good agreement with those by in vivo blood tests, but (ii) platelet adhesion increases with increasing the mole ratio of polycation/polyanion in the PEC, and (iii) the activation of the intrinsic coagulation system increases with decreasing the mole ratio.