Figure 3.

Local cellular response to implanted biomaterials. Proteins from blood or extracellular fluids adsorb to biomaterial surfaces upon implantation. Innate immune cells like neutrophils and monocytes adhere to protein coated surfaces through non-specific binding interactions. Neutrophils undergo degranulation and deposit neutrophil extracellular traps. Monocytes differentiate into macrophages which can fuse to form giant cells in an attempt to phagocytose biomaterials. Crosstalk between immune cells and stromal cells is an important step in wound healing and is a promising target for engineering biomaterials that can modulate host response.