Preferential adsorption of bovine serum albumin dimer onto polymer microspheres having a heterogeneous surface consisting of hydrophobic and hydrophilic parts

Abstract

The adsorption behaviors of bovine serum albumin (BSA) containing both dimeric and monomeric species onto polymer microspheres were examined using various homopolymers and poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate)/polystyrene composite microspheres which were produced by the emulsifier-free (seeded) emulsion polymerization technique. The preferential adsorption of the BSA dimer was clearly observed in an optimum region of the surface hydrophilicities of the polymer microspheres. The preferential adsorption of the BSA dimer onto the composite polymer microspheres having heterogeneous surfaces consisting of hydrophilic and hydrophobic parts was more marked than those onto the homopolymer and copolymer microspheres having homogeneous surfaces.