Resorbability

Health Safety. PET fibers pose no health risk to humans or animals. Eibers have been used extensively iu textiles with no adverse physiological effects from prolonged skin contact. PET has been approved by the U.S. Eood and Dmg Administration for food packagiug and botties. PET is considered biologically iuert and has been widely used iu medical iaserts such as vascular implants and artificial blood vessels, artificial bone, and eye sutures (19). Other polyester homopolymers including polylactide and polyglycoHde are used iu resorbable sutures (19,47). 

The process of aging reduces bone size and strength. Thinning and resorption occur in the canceUous bone. Also, cortical bone resorbs and bone shrinks in diameter and thickness. The older the person, the more fragile the bone. 

The concept of using biodegradable materials for implants which serve a temporary function is a relatively new one. This concept has gained acceptance as it has been realized that an implanted material does not have to be inert, but can be degraded and/or metabolized in vivo once its function has been accompHshed (12). Resorbable polymers have been utilized successfully in the manufacture of sutures, small bone fixation devices (13), and dmg dehvery systems (qv) (14). 

A variety of therapies for thallium poisoning have been suggested by neutralising thallium in the intestinal tract, hastening excretion after resorption, or decreasing absorption. Berlin-Blue (fertihexacyanate) and sodium iodide in a 1 wt % solution have been recommended. Forced diuresis hemoperfusion and hemodialysis in combination results in the elimination of up to 40% of the resorbed thaHous sulfate (39). 

Other Ceramic Calcium Phosphate Materials. Other ceramic calcium phosphate materials for repairing bony defect iaclude p-tricalcium phosphate (P-TCP) [7758-87-4], P-Ca2(PO, and biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP) ceramics which consist of both P-TCP and HA. Unlike ceramic HA, P-TCP resorbs ia the tissue (293). The in vivo dissolution of BCP ceramic implants was shown (296) to iacrease with increasing P-TCP/HA ratio ia the implants. Both P-TCP and BCP can lead to new bone growth to various extents depending on the appHcations and the type of materials used (293,296). 

There has been recent interest in lactic acid polymers and copolymers. These materials are environmentally attractive in that renewal and cheap source materials such as potato waste and cheese whey may be used. Such materials have been used for some time in degradable and resorbable surgical sutures but recent efforts have been directed at food packaging applications. There is... 

Bone metabolism comprises the processes of bone formation and bone resorption, the key actions by which skeletal mass, structure and quality are accrued and maintained throughout life. In the mature skeleton, anabolic and catabolic actions are mostly balanced due to the tight regulation of the activity of bone forming ( osteoblast) and bone resorbing ( osteoclast) cells through circulating osteotropic hormones and locally active cytokines. 

During bone formation, a series of sequential changes occur in cells in the osteoblast lineage, including osteoblast chemotaxis, proliferation and differentiation, which in turn is followed by formation of mineralised bone and cessation of osteoblast activity. The osteoblast changes are preceded by osteoclast apoptosis, which may be dependent on active TGF- 3 released from the resorbed bone. This is followed by chemotactic attraction of osteoblasts or their precursors to the sites of the resorption defect. Chemotactic attraction of osteoblast precursors is likely mediated by local factors produced during the resorption process. 

The steroid hormone 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D3 (calcitriol) slowly increases both intestinal calcium absorption and bone resorption, and is also stimulated through low calcium levels. In contrast, calcitonin rapidly inhibits osteoclast activity and thus decreases serum calcium levels. Calcitonin is secreted by the clear cells of the thyroid and inhibits osteoclast activity by increasing the intracellular cyclic AMP content via binding to a specific cell surface receptor, thus causing a contraction of the resorbing cell membrane. The biological relevance of calcitonin in human calcium homeostasis is not well established. 

Although vitamin K is a fat soluble vitamin, only little stores are found in the body which have to be refilled permanently via dietary input. The role of vitamin K derived from bacteria in the colon is controversely discussed, as the concentration of biliary acids for the resorption the fatsoluble vitamin K is very low in the colon. In addition, only diseases of the small intestine lead to a deficit in vitamin K concentration which cannot be restored by K2 production of colonic bacteria. However, watersoluble vitamin Ks can be resorbed by the colonic mucosa. Maybe because of the little stores for vitamin K, the process of vitamin K-dependent carboxylation of proteins is part of a cycle with several steps during which vitamin K normally is regenerated (see Fig. 1) and thus can be used several times. 

Special mention must be made of poly(lactic acid), a biodegradable/bio-resorbable polyester, obtained from renewable resources through fermentation of com starch sugar. This polymer can compete with conventional thermoplastics such as PET for conventional textile fibers or engineering plastics applications. Hie first Dow-Cargill PLA manufacturing facility is scheduled to produce up to 140,000 tons of Nature Works PLA per year beginning in 200245 at an estimated price close to that of other thermoplastic resins U.S. l/kg.46 Other plants are planned to be built in the near future.45... 

One further difference between the tissues should be noted briefly—that of turnover—which holds implications for the nature of the isotopic signal recorded and its interpretation. Bone is constantly resorbed and reformed during life, i.e., it turns over , whereas enamel and dentine do not, although secondary dentine can be later accreted. Enamel and dentine form during a discrete period in the individual s life. This means that carbon isotope dietary signals in bone, for both collagen and apatite, reflect diet integrated over years, whereas those in enamel and dentine increments reflect diet at time of formation. 

Roessler, Wilke A, Griss PM, and Kienapfel H. Missing osteoconductive effect of a resorbable PEO/PBT copolymer in human bone defects A clinically relevant pilot study with contrary results to previous animal studies. Biomed Mater Res (Appl Biomater), 2000, 53, 167-173. 

Pregnant females were sacrificed by carbon dioxide anesthesia on day 21 of gestation the uterine horns were exteriorized through a midline incision in the abdominal wall, and the number and position of live, dead, and resorbed fetuses were noted. After being weighed and sexed, the fetuses were examined for external anomalies the crown-rump length was measured with a vernier caliper. Half of each litter was preserved in Bouin s solution and later examined for soft tissue anomalies (16) the other half was preserved in alcohol, cleared and stained with Alizarin red-S, and examined for skeletal abnormalities (2). 

Rudolf, R. M., Boering, G., Roseman, F., and Leenslay, J., Resorbable poly(L-lactide) plates and screws for the fixation... 

Miller, R. A., Brady, J. M., and Cutright, D. E., Degradation rates of oral resorbable implants (polylactates and poly-glycolates) Rate modification with changes in PLA/PGA copolymer ratios, J. Biomed. Mater. Res., 11, 711, 1977. 

Osteopetrosis (marble bone disease), characterized by increased bone density, is due to inability to resorb bone. One form occurs along with renal tubular acidosis and cerebral calcification. It is due to mutations in the gene (located on chromosome 8q22) encoding carbonic anhydrase II (CAII), one of four isozymes of carbonic anhydrase present in human tissues. The reaction catalyzed by carbonic anhydrase is shown below ... 

Yamaguchi and Gao, 1998 Rat femoral-metaphyseal tissues cultured for 48 h with bone resorbing factors PTH, PGE2 or EPS) +/- genistein measured bone calcium content, acid and alkaline phosphatases Genistein (10 Yi O M) inhibited bone resorption. Effect reversed by anti-estrogen, tamoxifen. 

Gao and Yamaguchi, 1999b Mouse bone marrow cells cultured for 7 d with bone resorbing factors (PTH, PGE2, EPS) +/- genistein osteoclast formation assessed by TRAP enzyme Genistein (10 Yi0 M) inhibited osteoclast formation. Mechanism may involve cAMP signalling. 

KAiiYA H, OKABE K, OKAMOTO F, TSUZUKi T and SOEDA H (2000) Proteiu tyrosiue kinase inhibitors increase cytosolic calcium and inhibit actin organization as resorbing activity in rat osteoclasts. J Cell Phys 183, 83-90. 

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