A biologically-inspired material that is said to enhance tissue healing, improve bone growth around an implant and strengthen the attachment and integration of the implant to the bone, has been developed by researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Andrés Garcia, Georgia Tech, explained: “We designed a coating that specifically communicates with cells, and we’re telling the cells to grow bone around the implant.”

He continued: “Our coating consists of a high density of polymer strands, akin to the bristles on a toothbrush, which we can then modify to present our bio-inspired, bioactive protein.”

These polymer strands present controlled amounts of an engineered protein that mimics fibronectin, a protein in the body that acts as a binding site for cell surface receptors called integrins. It is important to control the integrins binding to the titanium implant because integrins provide signals that direct bone formation, so controlling integrin binding to the titanium, results in targeted signals that enhance bone formation around the implant.

In addition to total joint replacements, Garciais studying how to fill large gaps between bones, which sometimes occur after a traumatic injury, or tumour removal.

He explained: “We are developing a strategy to present peptides that encourage the surrounding bone to grow in and fill in around the gap.”

By improving communication with the body’s cells, the integration and healing response of the body to any implanted device can be controlled. Currently, most become encapsulated by a collagen sheath, which affects the performance and long term viability of the device.

Garcia aims to use these biomaterials to help integrate devices implanted in the body.