Biocompatible coatings of materials

Prof. Dr. Horst Kessler

One key point to improve osseous integration of implants is rendering the implant osteopromotive by specifically favoring the adhesion of osteoblast cells. Mimicking the physiological adhesion process of osteoblasts to the extracellular matrix improves cell adhesion of osteoblasts in vitro and results in improved and earlier osseous integration of implants in vivo. Our approach involves coating of implants with tailor-made cyclic peptides or non-peptidic peptidomimetics which bind to specific integrin receptors.

To enhance binding and stimulate proliferation of osteoblast cells at the surface of the material multimeric effects (branched linkers with several identical or non-identical anchors or cell attachment molecules) are used as well.

The same principle is applied to other cell types. Specificity for different cell types and applications for solving biochemical and medicinal problems are intended.