Shear-induced orientation distribution in fibrinogen adsorption

The adsorption characteristics of fibrinogen on blood-contacting materials, as a critical factor in the coagulation process, have been extensively studied. However, while these materials are typically exposed to flow conditions, such as in artificial hearts, vessels, and valves, the adsorption of fibrinogen under shear flow remains insufficiently explored. In this study, we conduct experimental and simulation investigations into fibrinogen adsorption on surfaces under shear flow. Dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) simulations on smooth surfaces, as well as nanorod-based Brownian dynamics simulations, indicate that shear flow has no effect on the orientation distribution of fibrinogen. In contrast, experimental results align with DPD simulations on rough surfaces, showing that fibrinogen under shear flow tends to orient either parallel or orthogonal to the direction of shear, which is attributed to the spin of fibrinogen.