| abstract |
The invention is a medical implantable device which is coated by the method according to the invention. The surface of the substrate used for the implantable device, in the raw condition, following a cleaning regime and physiochemical pretreatments, is coated using a biomimetic process in a supersaturated calcium phosphate solution (SCPS) to obtain the desired coating coverage and morphology maintaining a ratio of calcium to phosphorus pH, as well as solution temperature plays a major role in yielding precipitation of the proper phase of CaP so that composition, morphologies, crystal structures, and solubility characteristics are optimal for the deposition process. The biomimetic coating adds the attribute of osteoconductivity to the implant device. To maximize bone growth, the implant must also induce bone growth, or possess the attribute of osteoinductivity. This attribute is acquired by the use of therapeutic agents, i.e. bone morphogenic proteins (BMP), growth factors, stem cells, etc. The preparation of the SCPS solution is slightly altered so that during the immersion of the implant in the SCPS, the therapeutic agents are co-precipitated and bonded with the CaP directly on the underlying surface of the implant device. A final dipping process into a BMP solution provides an initial burst of cellular activity. For delivering stem and/or progenitor cell, after drying the dipped solution of BMP, the cells are cultured on the surface of the implant. |