For decades, scientists have designed synthetic materials to implant into damaged tissues and organs in hopes of restoring their natural function. Dental implants, cardiac stents, and artificial hips are now common. Although enduring the mechanical wear and tear of everyday life, these man-made materials cannot fully integrate with surrounding tissue as part of body’s natural regeneration process. Under development are new, biologically “smarter” synthetic materials that may solve many design problems. A team of National In-stitute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) grantees and colleagues reported on early work in animals with a porous implant that releases microencapsulated Tissue Growth Factor (TGF)-ß1 into bone. As the microparticles degraded, the encapsulated growth factors were released and recruited bone-forming mesenchymal stem cells to the implant to encourage the natural ingrowth of new mineralized bone. Result: released growth factors improved biointegration of the material. Authors concluded, “Taken together, the present findings provide the proof of concept for testing the potential augmentation of bone ingrowth in porous implants by controlled release of bioactive cues in large animal models and potentially patients.”
(Source: NIDCR, Science News in Brief, February 21, 2008)
