Manufacture of chromatography matrices

1. A method of manufacturing a chromatography matrix comprising

providing at least one cross-linked agarose carrier comprising available hydroxyl groups; and

reacting said hydroxyl groups with vinyl sulphonate to provide a sulphonate-functionalized (S-functionalized) cation exchanger;

wherein the hydroxyl groups are coupled to the carrier surface via extenders that comprise dextran;

further wherein the carrier is provided by:

(a) providing an aqueous agarose solution and substituting part of the hydroxyl groups of said agarose;

(b) gelling the agarose solution to provide a carrier; and

(c) cross-linking the agarose gel obtained from (b) by reacting hydroxyl groups of the agarose.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said substitution of hydroxyl groups as defined in (a) is provided by addition to the agarose solution of at least one bifunctional cross-linking agent having one active site and one inactive site and reacting such active sites with part of the hydroxyl groups of the agarose; wherein inactive sites of said added cross-linking agent are activated subsequent to the gelling as defined in (b); and wherein the so activated sites are reacted with hydroxyl groups of the agarose gel to provide the cross-linking as defined in (c).

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the carrier is porous.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the carrier is comprised of essentially spherical gel particles.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the carrier is a membrane.