Previously, we showed that macroporous titanium implants, colonized in vivo together with an epithelial graft, are viable options for tracheal replacement in sheep. To decrease the number of operating steps, biomaterial based replacements for epithelial graft and intramuscular implantation were developed in the present study. Hybrid microporous PLLA/titanium tracheal implants were designed to decrease initial stenosis and provide a surface for epithelialization. They have been implanted in New Zealand white rabbits as tracheal substitutes and compared to intramuscular implantation samples. Moreover, a basement membrane like coating of the implant surface was also designed by Layer-by-Layer (LbL) method with collagen and alginate. The results showed that the commencement of stenosis can be prevented by the microporous PLLA. For determination of the optimum time point of epithelialization after implantation, HPLC analysis of blood samples, C-Reactive Protein (CRP), and chromogranin A (CGA) analyses and histology were carried out. Following 3 weeks the implant would be ready for epithelialization with respect to the amount of tissue integration. Calcein-AM labeled epithelial cell seeding shows that after 3 weeks implant surfaces were suitable for their attachment. CRP readings were steady after an initial rise in the first week. Cross-linked collagen/alginate structures show nanofibrillarity and they form uniform films over the implant surfaces without damaging the microporosity of the PLLA body. Human respiratory epithelial cells proliferated and migrated on these surfaces which provided a better alternative to PLLA film surface. In conclusion, collagen/alginate LbL coated hybrid PLLA/ titanium implants are viable options for tracheal replacement, together with in situ epithelialization. Biotechnol. Bioeng.
To mimic the extracellular microenvironment of bone, a bioactive multilayered structure of gelatin/chitosan pair, containing bone morphogenetic protein 2(BMP2) and fibronectin (FN), was constructed onto Ti6Al4V surface via a layer-by-layer assembly technique. The successful fabrication of multila...
The soft tissue around dental implants forms a barrier between the oral environment and the peri-implant bone and a crucial factor for long-term success of therapy is development of a good abutment/soft-tissue seal. Sol-gel derived nanoporous TiO2 coatings have been shown to enhance soft-tissue a...
The understanding of corrosion processes of metal implants in the human body is a key problem in modern biomaterial science. Because of the complicated and adjustable in vivo environment, in vitro experiments require the analysis of various physiological corrosion media to elucidate the underlyin...
Many studies to identify surfaces that enhance the incorporation of dental implants into bone and soft-tissue have been undertaken previously. However, to succeed in the clinical situation, an implant surface must not support development of microbial biofilms with a pathogenic potential. As a fir...
The surface properties of titanium alloy implants for improved osseointegration in orthopaedic and dental surgery have been modified by many technologies. Hydroxyapatite coatings with a facultative integration of growth factors deposited by plasma spraying showed improved osseointegration. Our ap...
Interaction of a TEA CO2laser, operating at 10.6 μm wavelength and pulse duration of 100 ns (FWHM), with a titanium implant in various gas atmospheres was studied. The Ti implant surface modification was typically studied at the moderate laser beam energy density/fluence of 28 J/cmin the surr...
In this study the efficiency of different bare, doped and composite photocatalysts were compared, under UV and visible light irradiation in order to show a detailed picture of the relative performance of the best photocatalysts developed in our laboratories and the mostly investigated reference t...
The demand for orthopedic and dental implants will continue to grow, and for these applications, titanium and its alloys have been used extensively. While these implants have achieved high success rates, two major complications may be encountered: the lack of bone tissue integration and implant-c...
The aim of this work was to determine the influence of laser surface modification treatments on mechanical and electrochemical behavior in Ti and Ti–6Al–4V implants. For each metal, different samples were laser modified simulating the markings according to the international requirements. (It ...
In vivo expression of colored proteins without post-translational modification or chemical functionalization is highly desired for protein studies and cell biology. Cell-permeable tryptophan analogues, such as azatryptophans, have proved to be almost ideal isosteric substitutes for natural trypto...
