Figure 3.
Biofunctionalization of the surface to enhance in situ endothelialization. Biofunctionalized surface of the heart valve leaflets made from POSS-PCU nanocomposite can target several biological processes to promote in-situ endothelialization, by promoting the mobilization of EPC from the bone marrow, encouraging cell-specific (circulating EC, EPC, and stem cells) homing to the vascular graft site, providing cell-specific adhesion motifs on the vascular grafts (of a predetermined spatial concentration), and directing the behavior of the cells post-adhesion to rapidly form a mature fully functioning endothelium with self-repair capability.
Copyright© 2008. American Chemical Society. Adapted with permission from De Mel A, Jell G, Stevens MM, Seifalian AM. Biofunctionalization of biomaterials for accelerated in situ endothelialization: a review. Biomacromolecules. 2008;9(11):2969–2979.65
Abbreviations: EC, endothelial cell; EPC, endothelial progenitor cells; POSS-PCU, polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane-poly(carbonate-urea)urethane.