Physiologically-Active Surfaces

Immunoadsorption, an advanced therapeutic modality, focuses on detoxification of patient blood rich in high-molecular-weight pathogenic substances, mostly abnormal autoantibodies such as rheumatoid factors in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and anti-DNA autoantibodies in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Detoxification of these pathogens will be accomplished through extracorporeal perfusion of the patient plasma or whole blood over an affinity column made of immunoadsorbents. These adsorbents perform their function through the same mechanism as conventional affinity adsorption, where proteins in the liquid phase are adsorbed on the specific ligands immobilized onto an insoluble support. 

A major problem associated with the current immunoadsorption is the low capacity of adsorbents, which can probably be attributed to the materials used as a solid support matrix. To solve this problem, an attempt was made to synthesize immunoadsorbents utilizing a solid support made of super fine PET microfibers [167,168]. The use of such a fibrous support has great advantages over the conventional matrices, because this fiber is very large in specific surface area, excellent in mechanical strength, and biosafe. 

Yoshikimi Uyama, Koichi Kato, Yoshito Ikada 

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Wash the surfaces with DMF. The NHS-activated surface may be used to couple amine-containing molecules in a buffer at physiological pH (7.2-7.4) using 50 mM sodium phosphate. 

Fletcher M (1991) The physiological activity of bacteria attached to solid surfaces. Adv Microb Physiol 32 53-85... 

In addition to climate change, the increased atmospheric concentration of C02 is likely to have wide-spread ecological effects in various environments, since C02 is a physiologically active gas, in plants as well as animals. The acidic nature of C02 will also lead to changes in the chemistry of the ocean s surface, which is in equilibrium with the atmosphere. Once the shift in the oceanic chemical balance becomes significant, it will affect ecosystems. It has been shown, for example, that doubling C02 concentration in the atmosphere will reduce the rate of calcium carbonate deposition in coral reefs by 30-40% (Langdon et al., 2000). 

Nanotubes are functionalised to improve their solubility in water or to attach to their surface biologically active substances such as peptides and drugs. The ability to attach biological substances has raised an interest in using nanotubes as carriers for delivery of drugs and vaccines. A number of researchers performed functionalization of CNT with physiologically active molecules and macro-objects. These results are summarized in Table 2.3 [30 0]. 

From electrophysiological studies with in vitro expressed NMDA subunits in cellular systems, it has been concluded that a conventional NMDA receptor must consist of a mixed combination of NR1 splice variants and NR2A-d subunits in order to have full physiological activity (Monyer et al., 1992). This NR1/NR2 expression pattern has also been reported to be a prerequisite for adequate cell surface expression of NMDA receptors (Mcllhinney et al., 1996). Given the tetrameric stoichiometry, any conventional NMDA receptor might consist of two NR1 and two NR2 subunits. 

In addition to its role in carbonate deposition, the mantle is also connected with other physiological activities such as secretion of mucus or the formation of the periostracum298 304. Certain regions of the outer mantle surface are allocated to various work assignments and differ in their ultrastructural composition. 

Special interest adheres to the group of cholinesterases (ChE), not only in view of their physiological role in conductive tissues, but also because their specific behavior towards substrates and inhibitors and their high efficiency towards cationic substrates permit exact kinetic measurements. In spite of an enormous amount of experimental work, the exact structure of the active surface of cholinesterases is still controversial [see the review of Whittaker (/)]. The following representation will discuss the results already achieved and point out the many problems in this field still awaiting solution. 

Serotonin causes blood platelets to aggregate by activating surface 5-HT2 receptors. This response, in contrast to aggregation induced during clot formation, is not accompanied by the release of serotonin stored in the platelets. The physiologic role of this effect is unclear. 

Although forming a protective barrier on the skin is important, some cosmetic products also contain physiologically active ingredients that will improve skin conditions only if they penetrate the skin [431], The active substance(s) can be encapsulated in the internal aqueous phase or the internal oleic phase depending on the type of emulsion and whether the active ingredient is lipophilic or hydrophilic. If the protective film is not to be broken then the active substance has to diffuse across the oleic layer that has been deposited on the skin surface [910], This diffusion will be approximately described by Fick s law (Section 5.5), but is complicated by the fact... 

Sites associated with FVIII activation and cofactor activity are marked by arrows. Thrombin, the main physiological activator of FVIII, cleaves at amino acids 372, 740, and 1689 FIXa complexes with FVIIIa at amino acids 558-565, 698-710, and 1811-1818 during assembly of the Factor X-activating complex and phospholipids (PL) of the membrane surface during complex assembly bind FVIII at the carboxy-terminal of the light chain, von Will-... 

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