Perfluorocarbons: Life sciences and biomedical uses Dedicated to the memory of Professor Guy Ourisson, a true RENAISSANCE man

• Published in: Journal of polymer science. Part A, Polymer chemistry Polymer chemistry, 2007-04, Vol.45 (7), p.1185-1198
• Main Authors: Krafft, Marie Pierre, Riess, Jean G.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: amphiphiles; biocompatible polymers; Biological and medical sciences; biomaterials; blood substitutes; drug delivery; expanded PTFE; fluorinated colloids; fluorinated protein; fluorinated tags; fluorocarbon; fluoropolymer; fluorosurfactants; fluorous media; halogenated; lung surfactant; Medical sciences; molecular imaging; oxygen delivery; perfluoroalkyl compounds; recognition; self-assembly; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; targeting; Technology. Biomaterials. Equipments; ultrasound diagnostic imaging; vascular grafts
• ISSN: 0887-624X; 1099-0518
• DOI: 10.1002/pola.21937

Perfluorocarbons are primarily characterized by outstanding chemical and biological inertness, and intense hydrophobic and lipophobic effects. The latter effects provide a powerful noncovalent, labile binding interaction that can promote selective self‐ assembly. Perfluoro compounds do not mimic nature, yet they can offer abiotic building blocks for the de novo design of functional biopolymers and alternative solutions to physiologically vital issues. They offer new tags useful for molecular recognition, selective sorting, and templated binding (e.g., selective peptide and nucleic acid pairing). They also stabilize membranes and provide micro‐ and nanocompartmented fluorous environments. Perfluorocarbons provide inert, apolar carrier fluids for lab‐on‐a‐chip experiments and assays using microfluidic technologies. Low water solubility, combined with high vapor pressure, allows stabilization of injectable microbubbles that serve as contrast agents for diagnostic ultrasound imaging. High gas solubilities are the basis for an abiotic means for intravascular oxygen delivery. Other biomedical applications of fluorocarbons include lung surfactant replacement and ophthalmologic aids. Diverse colloids with fluorocarbon phases and/or shells are being investigated for molecular imaging using ultrasound or magnetic resonance, and for targeted drug delivery. Highly fluorinated polymers provide a range of inert materials (e.g., fluorosilicons, expanded polytetrafluoroethylene) for contact lenses, reconstructive surgery (e.g., vascular grafts), and other devices. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 1185–1198, 2007. Phospholipids‐coated perfluorocarbon‐containing microbubbles and emulsion droplets (highly fluorinated shell components may also be present): the former are utilized as contrast agents for ultrasound diagnostic imaging, and the latter are investigated for oxygen delivery to tissues. Further biomedical uses of highly fluorinated materials include research tools for “abiotic” biology, targeted drug delivery, and reconstructive surgery. [A color version of the adjacent figure can be viewed in the online issue, which is available at www.interscience.wiley.com.]