title: Consequences of morphology on molecularly imprinted polymer-ligand recognition.
abstract: The relationship between molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) morphology and template-rebinding over a series of warfarin-imprinted methacrylic acid  co(ethylene dimethacrylate) polymers has been explored. Detailed investigations of the nature of template recognition revealed that an optimal template binding was obtained with polymers possessing a narrow population of pores (~3-4 nm) in the mesopore size range. Importantly, the warfarin-polymer rebinding analyses suggest strategies for regulating ligand binding capacity and specificity through variation of the degree of cross-linking, where polymers prepared with a lower degree of cross-linking afford higher capacity though non-specific in character. In contrast, the co-existence of specific and non-specific binding was found in conjunction with higher degrees of cross-linking and resultant meso- and macropore size distributions.
authors.affiliation: Bioorganic & Biophysical Chemistry Laboratory, Linnæus University Centre for Biomaterials Chemistry, Linnæus University, SE-391 82 Kalmar, Sweden. ian.nicholls@lnu.se.
authors.forename: Annika M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Rosengren
authors.forename: Björn C G
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Karlsson
authors.forename: Ian A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Nicholls
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D007536:Isomerism; D008024:Ligands; D008689:Methacrylates / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D054802:Molecular Imprinting / Q000379:methods*; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000737:chemistry; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D016062:Porosity; D011869:Radioligand Assay; D013696:Temperature; D014859:Warfarin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D008024:Ligands; D008689:Methacrylates; D011108:Polymers; D014859:Warfarin; C004919:ethylene dimethacrylate; D009584:Nitrogen