The project “Fabrication of osteoinductive orthopedic
implants with gradual 3D hierarchical structure” proposes a novel approach for
the ossteointegration of permanent metallic prostheses by means of the surface
alteration from morphological and biochemical point of view. The originality of
the project consists in the development of implants with 3D hierarchical porous
structure characterized by increased surface roughness and wettability, covered
with soluble thin multilayer of biocatalytic composites. The resulting
structures have the advantage of combining the benefits of deposited
biomaterials and the mechanical strength of the metallic collector. The aim of
our research is the manufacturing of permanent implants with biofunctional
surface which are able to trigger certain healing phases typical for injured
bone tissues. The implant fabricated as result of our research will induce
complex chronological biological reactions which in the first stage will
initiate a vasogenic and angiogenic response succeeded then by the migration
and differentiation of osteoblasts and mesenchymal cells and accomplished with
the formation of new bone tissue. Thus, the surface structure of the implant
with appropriate topology and roughness will serve as framework for
osteoconductivity, while further coating with biocomposites acts, in addition
to osteoconductivity, as delivery vehicles for cytokines, such as bone
morphogenetic proteins, insulin-like growth factors and transforming growth
factors, vascular endothelial growth factor, etc. These growth factors will
promote the migration and transformation of recruited precursor cells from the
host producing new blood vessels and bone tissue, which finally will provide
the osteoinduction. The proposed 3D structures for osteoinduction will mimic
bone morphology, structure and function in order to optimize integration into
surrounding tissue.