A review of biomimetic surface functionalization for bone-integrating orthopedic implants: Mechanisms, current approaches, and future directions

Publication date: Available online 12 July 2019Source: Progress in Materials ScienceAuthor(s): Callum Stewart, Behnam Akhavan, Steven G. Wise, Marcela M.M. BilekAbstractOrthopedic implants are increasing in global prevalence, with hundreds of thousands of operations performed annually. However, a significant proportion of these operations experiences failure due to poor bone integration. Many avenues of investigation have been explored to address this issue and improve the biocompatibility of orthopedic devices by modifying the biological response to the implant surface. Biomimetic functionalization of orthopedic surfaces enables control over the biological response by signaling through immobilized proteins and other biomolecules. This approach seeks to promote osteoblast differentiation and bone formation at the implant surface, leading to integration between the orthopedic surface and the local bone tissue. This review commences by highlighting the need for biomimetic functionalization from a materials and biological perspective. The surface properties that govern protein-surface interactions are subsequently explained. Progress in biomolecule functionalization of orthopedic surfaces performed via adsorption, chemical covalent immobilization, and physical covalent immobilization are discussed and reviewed. The immobilization mechanisms for each approach are examined and the strategies are evaluated according to their complexity, efficacy, reproducibility, and scalability. E...
Source: Progress in Materials Science - Category: Materials Science Source Type: research