A new technique for separating platelet-rich plasma by a copolymer device － without a centrifugation process

Background: Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is beneficial for clinical applications in various medical fields. Although commercial PRP preparation kits are already available in the market, most of these kits employ centrifugation. Methods: We used a new cationic copolymer coating on a polyurethane (PU) sponge to promote platelet separation from the blood. This copolymer showed no cytotoxicity against cell viability or hemolysis. We further evaluated the efficiency of the new PRP preparation device by comparing it with that of a commercially available kit (RegenKit-THT). Results: We demonstrated that PRP obtained using copolymer device contains high concentrations of platelets and angiogenic growth factors (epidermal growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor-A, growth differentiation factor 2, and interleukin-8). The separated PRP also displayed beneficial effects on cell migration, angiogenesis, and matrix metalloproteinase gene expression. Conclusion: Based on these results, we developed a cationic copolymer-coated PU sponge as a PRP preparation device without the need for any centrifugation.