Matexcel

Matexcel has announced the launch of its phosphorylcholine-based biomedical coating service designed to support biomedical material surface engineering and blood-contacting device research.   Phosphorylcholine (PC) is a zwitterionic functional group commonly found in phospholipids within biological cell membranes. Due to its hydrophilic and biomimetic characteristics, phosphorylcholine has been widely studied in biomaterials and medical device surface modification research. According to information released by Matexcel, the coating technology is intended to generate biomimetic interfaces that resemble certain physicochemical properties of natural cell membranes.   Surface interactions between biomedical materials and biological systems remain an important consideration in the development of implantable and blood-contacting medical devices. Protein adsorption, platelet adhesion, and thrombus formation can influence the long-term performance and compatibility of device surfaces. Phosphorylcholine coating is among the strategies being investigated to help reduce these interactions and improve hemocompatibility.   The company states that the coating service can be applied to a range of substrate materials, including metals, polymers, and elastomers. Potential application areas mentioned by Matexcel include vascular stents, catheters, guidewires, introducer sheaths, hemodialysis membranes, and other biomedical devices exposed to blood or physiological fluids.   “Biomimetic surface engineering continues to be an active area of research in biomedical materials science,” said a representative from Matexcel. “Phosphorylcholine-based coatings have attracted attention because of their potential to improve material interactions with biological environments. Our coating service is intended to support research involving blood-contacting materials and biomedical surface modification.”   Matexcel also noted that phosphorylcholine coatings are commonly evaluated for properties such as resistance to nonspecific protein adsorption, reduced platelet adhesion, and surface stability under physiological conditions. These characteristics are frequently studied in the development of anti-fouling and hemocompatible biomedical surfaces.   In addition to coating preparation, the company references several analytical and evaluation standards related to biomedical coating characterization and biocompatibility assessment. These include ISO 10993 standards for biological evaluation of medical devices, ISO 10993-4 for blood interaction testing, ASTM F756 for hemolysis assessment, ASTM D3359 for coating adhesion evaluation, and ASTM F2459 for protein adsorption analysis.