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Concentration of protein in fibrin fibers and fibrinogen polymers determined by refractive index matching
Author(s) -
Voter William A.,
Lucaveche Carmen,
Erickson Harold P.
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
biopolymers
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.556
H-Index - 125
eISSN - 1097-0282
pISSN - 0006-3525
DOI - 10.1002/bip.360251214
Subject(s) - chemistry , fibrin , ionic strength , fibrinogen , polymer , refractive index , drop (telecommunication) , chromatography , polymer chemistry , biochemistry , optics , organic chemistry , aqueous solution , physics , computer science , immunology , biology , telecommunications
We have used refractive index matching to determine the concentration of protein in the fibers in fibrin clots and of needlelike crystals of native fibrinogen. Our results are in agreement with those of Carr and Hermans [(1978) Macromolecules 11 , 46–50], as determined by light scattering—namely, that protein makes up about 20% of the volume of the fiber. However, we have found that the protein concentration is strongly dependent on ionic strength. An increase in ionic strength caused a substantial drop in the protein concentration. In a buffer containing 100 m M NaCl, the protein concentration was 26.6–29.8 g of protein per 100 cm 3 of polymer, and at 200 m M NaCl it was reduced to 22.1–23.1 g/100 cm 3 .