Ths recent progress in heparin-functionalization of biomaterials is reviewed. Achievements in materials preparation based on physical adsorption coatings, covalent graft and biomimetic microcarriers are included. All these heparin-containing materials have antithrombogenicity and/or can control the release of growth factors, which have been extensively investigated. However, the research in the near future will focus on construction of various systems to control the release of heparin affinitive growth factors.

Key words: heparin, growth factor, functionalization, biomaterial