Novel Development of Biocompatible Coatings for Bone Implants

Prolonged life expectancy also results in an increased need for high-performance orthopedic implants. It has been shown that a compromised tissue-implant interface could lead to adverse immune-responses and even the dislodging of the implant. To overcome these obstacles, our research team has been seeking ways to decrease the risk of faulty tissue-implant interfaces by improving the biocompatibility and the osteo-inductivity of conventional orthopedic implants using ultrafine particle coatings. These particles were enriched with various bioactive additives prior to coating, and the coated biomaterial surfaces exhibited significantly increased biocompatibility and osteoinductivity. Physical assessments firstly confirmed the proper incorporation of the bioactive additives after examining their surface chemical composition. Then, in vitro assays demonstrated the biocompatibility and osteo-inductivity of the coated surfaces by studying the morphology of attached cells and their mineralization abilities. In addition, by quantifying the responses, activities and gene expressions, cellular evaluations confirmed the positive effects of these polymer based bioactive coatings. Consequently, the bioactive ultrafine polymer particles demonstrated their ability in improving the biocompatibility and osteo-inductivity of conventional orthopedic implants. As a result, our research team hope to apply this technology to the field of orthopedic implants by making them more effective medical devices through decreasing the risk of implant-induced immune responses and the loosening of the implant.