Protein adsorption on polystyrene latex particles

Protein adsorption is the net result of various types of interaction between the different components present in the system, i.e. the sorbent surface, the protein(s), the solvent and any other solutes such as low molecular weight electrolyte. In this paper methods and techniques will be discussed to study the mechanism of protein adsorption on, in particular, colloidal particles. The discussion is based on experimental data obtained with relatively simple systems that contain one well-defined protein and well-characterized polystyrene latexes. Thus, the adsorption behavior of lysozyme and α-lactalbumin are compared, emphasizing the role of structural rearrangements in the protein molecule.