INTERACTIONS BETWEEN COLLAGEN AND PERFLUOROCARBON EMULSIONS

The interactions between perfluorocarbon emulsion and both dissolved collagen and suspensions of collagen fibrils were studied in a new formulation suggested for enhancement of wound healing. Since the emulsion droplets are covered with a charged phospholipid monolayer, both electrical and hydrophobic interactions may exist. Electrophoretic mobility measurements which are conducted at various pH values, and light microscopy, revealed that the emulsion droplets were adsorbed onto the collagen fibrils, thus forming a new population of particles. This phenomenon was also observed at the pH values of the isoelectric points of collagen or lecithin, indicating possible hydrophobic interactions between collagen and lecithin. From adsorption experiments, the area of collagen molecule at the interface was calculated. This suggested formation of an end-on oriented collagen molecules layered at the water-perfluorocarbon/lecithin interface.