On the control of dispersion interactions between biological membranes and protein coated biointerfaces

Interaction of cellular membranes with biointerfaces is vital importance for a number medical devices and implants. Adhesiveness these surfaces cells often regulated by depositing layer bovine serum albumin (BSA) or other protein coatings. However, anomalously large separations between phospholipid the in various conditions buffers have been observed, which could not be understood using available theoretical arguments. Using Lifshitz theory, we here evaluate distance-dependent Hamaker coefficient describing dispersion interaction biointerface membrane to understand relative positioning two surfaces. Our modeling supported experiments where represented glass substrate deposited BSA layers. These are allowed interact giant unilamellar vesicles decorated polyethylene glycol (PEG) PEG lipids mimic their pericellular coat. We demonstrate that careful treatment van der Waals interactions critical explaining lack adhesiveness protein-decorated biointerfaces. show alone indeed passivates glass, but an additional on surface BSA, producing multiple layers proteins results repulsive forces responsible 100 nm equilibrium