A graphene-based catalyst will protect the implants from blood clots
The new coating will prevent the formation of blood clots in the vessels
When doctors for some reason affect the blood flow in our vessels, nitric oxide, which usually circulates through them and prevents the formation of blood clots, ceases to flow to such areas - and thrombosis begins there. All attempts to combat this evil (often, alas, unavoidable with the introduction of catheters) were reduced to artificial delivery of nitric oxide to the right place.
However, this is not always inconvenient: implantable devices, for example, can rarely have the right amount of this substance.
This time, the scientists used a device with a special graphene coating, into which heme and the enzyme glucose oxidase were integrated.
Heme-glucose oxidant catalyst on graphene substrate
(Figure Teng Xue et al.) – VM
Both act as catalysts in the formation of hydrogen peroxide from substances already in the blood, and then nictroxyl (HNO). Being present in the vessels, the latter behaves like nitric oxide, although it has one electron less. However, in the fight against thrombosis, it is almost as good as it allows you to use it instead of natural nitric oxide.
Snapshots of (a) graphene-heme, (b) graphene oxide and (c,d) graphene-heme and graphene oxide;
for comparison, bands of 40 nm are given. (Photo by Teng Xue et al.)
The principal advantage of such a solution is that any implantable device with such a shell does not need a consumable supply of any substances, as it has been until now, and provides a catalyst that, using only what is already contained in the blood, initiates the continuous production of the necessary substances.
According to the authors of the novelty, their modified graphene coating can be widely used in the creation of implantable devices.
The research report is published in the journal Nature Communications (Xue et al., Integration of molecular and enzymatic catalysts on graphene for biomimetic generation of antithrombotic species).
Prepared based on the materials of the University of California, Los Angeles:
Researchers create coating material to prevent blood clots associated with implanted devices.
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru03.03.2014