The chemical structures of water-soluble polymers grafted onto PE surfaces affect platelet function when the platelets contact the polymer surfaces. To improve our understanding of this effect, this study sought to control the blood/materials interaction on the surfaces of polyethylene (PE) by grafting with various water-soluble polymers. Such polymers as poly(2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine) (PMPC), poly(acrylamide) (PAAm), poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) (PVPy), and poly[monomethacryloyl poly(ethylene glycol)] (PMPEG) were grafted on low-density PE sheets by photoinduced graft polymerization. Both the PE bags modified with water-soluble polymers and those nonmodified were prepared by heat processing. Activation of platelets after storage in the PE bags was evaluated by measuring the cytoplasmic free calcium ion concentration ([Ca(2+)]i). The concentration of [Ca(2+)]i of platelets in contact with the PE surface grafted with PMPC was the same as that of native platelets and significantly less than that in contact with other PE surfaces grafted with water-soluble polymers. The number of adherent platelets was effectively decreased on PE surfaces grafted with PMPC and PMPEG, as compared with nontreated PE. The aggregation ability of platelets was also measured after storage of platelet-rich plasma in the PE bags. The PE surface grafted with PMPC effectively maintained aggregation ability as compared with both the nontreated PE and with PE grafted with PAAm, PVPy, and PMPEG. It was concluded that for preserving platelet function, PMPC was the most effective of these water-soluble polymers used for surface modification.