The conditions determining network-forming and aggregation properties of hyaluronan on the mica surface were studied. The hyaluronan was deposited on the surface from aqueous and saline solutions and attached by a bivalent cation. The morphology of the immobilized assemblies was characterized by atomic force microscopy. The experimental results show that the morphology and size of the aggregates as well as the density of the interconnecting fibrillar network, both made of hyaluronan, at the liquid-solid phase interface are determined not only by its molecular weight or concentration in solution, but also by the dissolution conditions and storage time. These findings extend the current state of knowledge about the conformational variability of this biologically important polymer. Understanding the conformational variability is of great importance, as it governs the physiological functions of hyaluronan, as well as its processability and formulations. That in turn determines its usability in different pharmacological and biomaterial applications.

Centre of Polymer Systems Tomas Bata University in Zlín Třída Tomáš Bati 5678 760 01 Zlín Czech Republic

Department of Biomaterials Faculty of Engineering Science Universität Bayreuth Prof Rüdiger Bormann Str 1 95447 Bayreuth Germany

Department of Physics and Materials Engineering Tomas Bata University in Zlín Vavrečkova 275 760 01 Zlín Czech Republic

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