Adsorption of polyampholytes to charged surfaces and assays incorporating same
AssigneeThe Research Foundation of State University of New York
InventorsKenneth J. McLeod, Nadine Pernodet, Miriam Rafailovich
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Abstract
Polyampholytes including fibronectin and aggrecan are made to aggregate and form fibrillar lattice networks environment free of cells, extraneous proteins and other materials which may be present in an extracellular matrix. A composition having sufficient charge density is utilized to cause aggregation and self-assembly of such polyampholytes and to provide an assay for determining the effects of environmental agents on such aggregation and self-assembly.
Claims33
A method for causing aggregation of a polyampholyte selected from the group consisting of fibronectin molecules, aggrecan molecules, vitronectin molecules, tenascin molecules, elastin molecules and laminin molecules, comprising subjecting the polyampholyte molecules to a charge density of greater than about 0.01 C/m2 generated by a non-living system to cause aggregation of the polyampholyte molecules.
A composition comprising a synthetic surface having a charge density greater than about 0.01 C/m2 in contact with a polyampholyte selected from the group consisting of fibronectin, aggrecan, vitronectin, tenascin, elastin and laminin.
An aggregated polyampholyte possessing substantially fibrillar morphology wherein the polyampholyte is selected from the group consisting of fibronectin molecules, aggrecan molecules, vitronectin molecules, tenascin molecules, elastin molecules and laminin molecules.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.