Tissue engineering material considerations

Khan, Y., Yaszemski, M.J., Mikos, A.G., Laurencin, C.T. 2008. Tissue engineering of bone material and matrix considerations. J Bone Joint Surg Am 90 Suppl 1, 36-42. 

Conductive polymer nanocomposites may also be used in different electrical applications such as the electrodes of batteries or display devices. Linseed oil-based poly(urethane amide)/nanostuctured poly(l-naphthylamine) nanocomposites can be used as antistatic and anticorrosive protective coating materials. Castor oil modified polyurethane/ nanohydroxyapatite nanocomposites have the potential for use in biomedical implants and tissue engineering. Mesua ferrea and sunflower seed oil-based HBPU/silver nanocomposites have been found suitable for use as antibacterial catheters, although more thorough work remains to be done in this field. ° Sunflower oil modified HBPU/silver nanocomposites also have considerable potential as heterogeneous catalysts for the reduction of nitro-compounds to amino compounds. Castor oil-based polyurethane/ epoxy/clay nanocomposites can be used as lubricants to reduce friction and wear. HBPU of castor oil and MWCNT nanocomposites possesses good shape memory properties and therefore could be used in smart materials. ... 

Silk is derived from the cocoon of the silkworm (JSombyx mort). It is defined as protein fibre. Fibroin chains are believed to be nearly fiill-extended, highly crystalline, and almost perfectly aligned in the fibre direction, all of which contribute to the fibre s considerable stiffiiess and strei th. Fibrous proteins, such as silk, are characterised by a highly repetitive primary sequence that leads to significant homogeneity in fine structure. Because of these structural properties it ows impressive mechanical properties and provides important material options in the field of controlled release, biomaterials and scaffolds for tissue engineering (5). 

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been the subject of extensive research over the past 10 years.Because of their impressive structural, electrical and mechanical properties as well as their small size and mass, they have become one of the most promising materials for fnmre development and have opened up a new era in the field of biomaterials science. In recent years, considerably effort has been devoted to applying CNTs in the biological and medical fields. ° Available data suggest that CNT-containing materials may be optimal for tissue engineering applications. This is not only because of their ability to simulate dimensions of proteins that comprise native tissue but also because of their higher reactivity for interactions involved in the cell attachment mechanism. 

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