Soft tissue restoration

J.R. Sarkanen, P. Ruusuvuori, H. Kuokkanen, T. Paavonen, T. Ylikomi, Bioactive acellular implant induces angiogenesis and adipogenesis and sustained soft tissue restoration in vivo. Tissue Eng Part A 18 (2012) 2568-2580. 

Consequently, soft tissue restoration becomes a manifest area of application of elastic model proteins. 

Figure 2.20. Elastic-contractile model proteins are used as temporciry functional scaffolding for soft tissue restoration by means of an attached normal cell capable of mechanochemical transduction to restore a natural tissue. A Elastic matrices without cell attachment sequences show no attachment of human fibroblasts. B Elastic matrix with cell attach-...

Dan W. Urry, Elastic Molecular Machines in Metabolism and Soft Tissue Restoration, TIBTECH, 17,249-257 (1999). 

An advantage of using elastic protein-based polymers as scaffoldings for soft tissue restoration as discussed in Chapter 9 would be to overcome the problem of infectious prions. 

The ftunUy of protein-based polymers emphasized here look back to the parent repeating elastic peptide sequence (GVGVP) , which was found in the mammalian elastic fiber, a soft tissue. Because of this, it is perhaps most appropriate to begin consideration of medical applications with the subject of soft tissue restoration. The word restoration describes a treatment not to replace, as is often implied in terms of tissue engineering and tissue reconstruction, but rather to set the stage for the regeneration of a more nearly natural state. 

Prevention of adhesions is included within the application of soft tissue restoration as the purpose is indeed to restore a soft tissue site to the normal state that preceded the operation or other trauma. The several examples discussed below include abdominal, eye, and spinal soft tissue sites. 

Temporary Functional Scaffoldings for Soft Tissue Restoration... 

Urry DW (1999) Elastic molecular machines in metabolism and soft-tissue restoration. Trends Biotechnol 17 249-257... 

The calcium chelate cements are limited to the use of a cavity liner. They may be placed directly over an exposed tooth pulp to protect the pulp and stimulate the growth of secondary dentin, or used as a therapeutic insulating base under permanent restorations. The high alkalinity and high solubihty of these materials prohibits use in close proximity to soft tissues or in contact with oral fluids. 

When the concentration of phosphate in plasma rises to the level where precipitation of calcium phosphate occurs, ionic calcium is depressed and parathyroid stimulation follows. This stimulation is continuous and progressive because the parathyroids are unable to restore the calcium concentration to normal, and enormous enlargement of the parathyroids follows (N8). Continuing parathyroid overactivity makes the bones more soluble than calcium phosphate at pH 7.4 with the result that there is a continuous transfer of mineral from the skeleton (which develops osteitis fibrosa) to blood vessel walls and soft tissues in gaieral (which become calcified). Parathyroidectomy is the only logical treatment and this has been done by Stanbuiy et al. (S5). 

The largest voliune of polsrmeric materials used in dentistry is in prosthetic applications. Polymeric materials are also important in operative dentistry, being used to produce composite resins, dental cements, adhesives, cavity liners, and as a protective sealant for pits and fissures. Elastomers are employed as impression materials. Resilient prosthetic devices are oft en fabricated to restore external soft-tissue defects. Mouth protectors are fabricated to prevent injury to teeth, as well as prevent head and neck injinaes. Other polymer applications include fabricating patterns for metal castings and partial denture frameworks, impression trays, orthodontic and periodontal devices, space maintainers, bite plates, cleft palate obdurators, and oral implants. Polymeric materials may also be used to fabricate an artificial tongue, when disease results in its loss. 

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