Abstract:

OBJECTIVE: To review the approaches and therapeutic effects of surface modification of ligament defects treatment using biomaterial, and to provide a reference for the researchers.
METHODS: A computer search of Wanfang database (http://www.wanfangdata.com.cn/) from January 2000 to May 2010 was performed for articles about the surface modification methods and application of the biomaterials for ligament reconstruction, using key words of “biological materials, surface modification, artificial ligaments” in Chinese. The repeated study, general review or Meta analysis articles were excluded, 22 articles were screened into the evaluation.
RESULTS: In order to make biomaterials present good biocompatibility and cell affinity in the treatment of ligament, tendon and other defects, the biomaterials should be surface modified, commonly named surface modification. The surface modification methods include fixed protein, fixed peptide, radiation grafting, ion implantation methods. Through biomaterial surface modification, cell adhesion is not only enhanced, but cell proliferation is promoted.
CONCLUSION: The surface modification of biomaterials is a complex system engineering, which requires to consider materials science and bioscience needs, thus achieving optimization. Ideal surface modification should take the surface topology, specific recognition, hydrophilic/hydrophobic balance, protein adsorption into account, therefore functional new tissues can be obained.