Bioresorption and Degradation of Biomaterials - Tissue Engineering: Cell-Surface Interactions for Tissue Culture - page 317

Bioresorption and Degradation
of Biomaterials

Debarun Das, Ziyang Zhang, Thomas Winkler, Meenakshi Mour,
Christina I. Günter, Michael M. Morlock, Hans-Günther Machens
and Arndt F. Schilling

Abstract The human body is a composite structure, completely constructed of
biodegradable materials. This allows the cells of the body to remove and replace
old or defective tissue with new material. Consequently, artificial resorbable
biomaterials have been developed for application in regenerative medicine.
We discuss here advantages and disadvantages of these bioresorbable materials for
medical applications and give an overview of typically used metals, ceramics and
polymers. Methods for the quantification of bioresorption in vitro and in vivo are
described. The next challenge will be to better understand the interface between
cell and material and to use this knowledge for the design of ''intelligent''
materials that can instruct the cells to build specific tissue geometries and degrade
in the process.

Keywords Biodegradation Bioresorption Implants Osteoclasts

Tissue engineering

Contents

1 Introduction........................................................................................................................ 318

1.1 Stable and Degradable Biomaterials ........................................................................ 318

1.2 Medical Applications for Resorbable Biomaterials................................................. 318

2 Biodegradable Materials.................................................................................................... 319

2.1 Metals ........................................................................................................................ 319

2.2 Ceramics and Glasses ............................................................................................... 321

2.3 Polymers.................................................................................................................... 322

D. Das Z. Zhang M. Mour C. I. Günter H.-G. Machens A. F. Schilling ( )

&

Department of Plastic Surgery and Hand Surgery, Klinikum Rechts der Isar,
Technische Universität München (TUM), Ismaninger Str. 22,
81675 Munich, Germany
e-mail: [e-mail]
T. Winkler M. M. Morlock
Biomechanics Section, Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH),
Hamburg, Germany