Figure 7.

Complement activating properties of the PPy–cellulose composites and the reference materials after 60 min whole-blood incubation (soluble heparin concentration 1.5 IU ml⁻¹). The novel PPy–cellulose haemodialysis membrane showed significant lower levels of C3a (a) than the commercially available membranes CA and significant lower levels of sC5b-9 (b) than the reference membranes CA, RC and PS. The values represent the mean ± s.e. of the mean from experiments using blood from 10 different donors. (H, heparinized composite; H Red-Ox, heparinized composite after reduction–oxidation cycles; NH, non-heparinized composite; CA, cellulose acetate; RC, regenerated cellulose; PS polysulphone, 0.2 represents 0.2 µm pore size and 0.45 indicates membranes with 0.45 µm pore sizes.)