Abstract
We discuss the perspectives of designing implantable medical devices that have the criterion of being symbiotic. Our starting point was whether the implanted device is intended to have any two-way (“duplex”) communication of energy or materials with the body. Such duplex communication extends the existing concepts of a biomaterial and biocompatibility to include the notion that it is important to consider the intended functional use of the implanted medical device. This demands a biomimetic approach to design functional symbiotic implantable medical devices that can be more efficient in mimicking what is happening at the molecular and cellular levels to create stable interfaces that allow for the unfettered exchanges of molecules between an implanted device and a body. Such a duplex level of communication is considered to be a necessary characteristic of symbiotic implanted medical devices that are designed to function for long periods of time inside the body to restore and assist the function of the body. We illustrate these perspectives with experience gained from implanting functional enzymatic biofuel cells.
Highlights
The foundation to harness nanotechnology for the engineering of biomedical systems was pioneered by Richard Zsigmondy in 1903, when he first used the term “nanometer” in the characterization of the gold nanoparticles he made and measured with his ultramicroscope [1].Subsequently, the introduction of the concept of “biomimetics” by Otto Schmitt in the 1960s has stimulated a great many possible applications for the engineering of biomedical devices [2]
We introduce the concept of “symbiotic nanostructured medical devices,” since our starting point was whether the implanted device is intended to have any two-way communication of energy or materials with the body
Even by referring to a “biocompatible system” rather than a “biocompatible material,” Williams concluded that the term “biocompatible system” remained imprecise and potentially misleading [16]. We suggest that such imprecision can be avoided if biocompatibility is defined by the intended functional properties of the implanted device
Summary
The foundation to harness nanotechnology for the engineering of biomedical systems was pioneered by Richard Zsigmondy in 1903, when he first used the term “nanometer” in the characterization of the gold nanoparticles he made and measured with his ultramicroscope [1]. Hibbs, who suggested the concepts of a miniaturized surgical device and “small machines that might be permanently incorporated in the body to assist some inadequately-functioning organ” [3] All of those previous concepts introduced by Zsigmondy, Schmitt, Hibbs, and Feynman have provided pillars upon which we can advance our ideas about nanostructured medical devices for implantation. 22 of of device is intended to properly integrate with the body, it needs to mimic the two-way (duplex) integrate with thethat body, it needs to mimic the two-way (duplex) that is required communication is required for transplanted living organs or cellscommunication [4] Such an implanted medical for transplanted living organs or cells [4]. Reproduced with permission from [4])
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