Preparation and Use of Tethered Ligands as Biomaterials and Tools for Cell Biology

The immobilization of biomolecules to various supports has been an important research area for many years. Molecules such as heparin (1 ,2 ), as well as various enzymes (3 ,4 ), antibodies (5 ,6 ), and adhesion ligands (7 ), have been bound to such supports as silicon or glass, agarose gels, polyethylene oxide (PEO) gels, poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) gels, and polymer surfaces. These studies have had important applications in the creation of antithrombogenic surfaces for blood contact, affinity chromatography, and tissue growth and regeneration.