Heparinases, properties

In developing a reactor such as the one just described, it is important to understand important design parameters, such as the radial distribution of the enzyme within the catalyst particles, the kinetics of heparin degradation catalyzed by immobilized heparinase, the flow properties in the reactor, and the effect of in vivo factors such as blood proteins which bind to the substrate. These parameters and how they can be evaluated are now discussed. 

Properties of Heparinase. Our studies of the structure of heparinase show it to have a molecular weight of 51,000 6,000 by Sephadex G-200 gel exclusion chromatography, and 45,700 1,600 without subunits by SDS gel electrophoresis. 

At present, we are continuing our efforts to immobilize heparinase to support materials in order to achieve higher yields. While this work is in progress, we have begun to explore the properties of immobilized heparinase using heparinase-Sepharose as a model. 

Heparinase, an enzyme that degrades heparin into small polysaccharides, has also been immobilized into an extracorporeal device (artificial kidney bioreactor) to eliminate the anticoagulant properties of heparin (used to prevent clotting in the device) before the blood returns to the patient. ... 

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