Abstract
Osseointegration of metal prosthetic implants is a yet unresolved clinical need that depends on the interplay between the implant surface and bone cells. The lack of a relationship between bone cells and metal has traditionally been solved by coating the former with “organic” ceramics, such as hydroxyapatite. A novel approach is hereby presented, immobilizing covalently dendrimeric structures onto titanium implants. Amide-based amino terminal dendrons were synthetized and coupled to titanium surfaces in a versatile and controlled way. The dendritic moieties provide an excellent scaffold for the covalent immobilization of bioactive molecules, such as extracellular matrix (ECM) protein components or antibiotics. Herein, tripeptide arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD) motifs were used to decorate the dendritic scaffolds and their influence on cell adhesion and proliferation processes was evaluated.
Highlights
Titanium alloys are widely used in Orthopedics and Maxillofacial surgery to treat bone defects.the long-term integration of metallic prosthetic implants is a yet unresolved issue due to both biomechanical bone-metal mismatch, and lack of osseointegration, i.e., lack of chemical and structural bonding between the prosthesis and the bone where it is anchored
The advent of metal 3D printing by laser or electron beam melting has led to the possibility of better control over the biomechanical properties of prosthetic implants, as these technologies allow the tuning of the geometry and porosity of the prostheses
Establishing how integrin signaling is stimulating cell division in the case of RGD-dendron-decorated titanium is beyond the scope of this study, but our results prove that a significant increase in osteoblastic proliferation occurs in these disks, and RGD signaling must be active
Summary
The long-term integration of metallic prosthetic implants is a yet unresolved issue due to both biomechanical bone-metal mismatch, and lack of osseointegration, i.e., lack of chemical and structural bonding between the prosthesis and the bone where it is anchored. Another potential problem is that unmodified Ti is susceptible to bacterial infections, which could lead to complications or even to implant failure [1]. Surface modification has been proposed to overcome this restraint, and some prostheses already in the market present hydroxyapatite coatings to offer bone cells with a more recognizable substrate with which cells can interact [2,3]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
