Interaction of fullerene C60 with bovine serum albumin at the water – air interface

Interfacial Dynamics of Adsorption Layers as Supports for Biomedical Research and Diagnostics

The input of chemical and physical sciences to life sciences is increasingly important. Surface science as a complex multidisciplinary research area provides many relevant practical tools to support research in medicine. The tensiometry and surface rheology of human biological liquids as diagnostic tools have been very successfully applied. Additionally, for the characterization of pulmonary surfactants, this methodology is essential to deepen the insights into the functionality of the lungs and for the most efficient administration of certain drugs. Problems in ophthalmology can be addressed using surface science methods, such as the stability of the wetting films and the development of artificial tears. The serious problem of obesity is fast-developing in many industrial countries and must be better understood, while therapies for its treatment must also be developed. Finally, the application of fullerenes as a suitable system for detecting cancer in humans is discussed.

Spread Layers of Lysozyme Microgel at Liquid Surface

The spread layers of lysozyme (LYS) microgel particles were studied by surface dilational rheology, infrared reflection–absorption spectra, Brewster angle microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. It is shown that the properties of LYS microgel layers differ significantly from those of ß-lactoglobulin (BLG) microgel layers. In the latter case, the spread protein layer is mainly a monolayer, and the interactions between particles lead to the increase in the dynamic surface elasticity by up to 140 mN/m. In contrast, the dynamic elasticity of the LYS microgel layer does not exceed the values for pure protein layers. The compression isotherms also do not exhibit specific features of the layer collapse that are characteristic for the layers of BLG aggregates. LYS aggregates form trough three-dimensional clusters directly during the spreading process, and protein spherulites do not spread further along the interface. As a result, the liquid surface contains large, almost empty regions and some patches of high local concentration of the microgel particles.