Biomaterials & medical device research – Top 5 QSensors

The QCM-D technology is used for research in many biomaterial- and medical device applications. Since the sensor is a critical part of the measurement, and the coating of the sensor is even more important in order to get the desired interactions, we wanted to give you some inspiration to a number of our sensor coatings suitable for biomaterial- and medical device research.

·         Hydroxyapatite – What can be more useful than a sensor that has the same chemistry as bone and teeth? The hydroxyapatite sensor has a hydroxyapatite coating on top of a TiO2 coated QCM-D sensor. It is commonly used for biomolecule-surface interactions in biomaterials and medical device research.

·         Titanium – A classic material for medical implants thanks to its biocompatibility and mechanical properties. As it is often used for long-term implants, studies of how the material interacts with the bio-environment over time is of interest.

·         PMMA – Polymeric materials are rapidly replacing other materials for use as biomaterials because of their versatility. Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) is used extensively as bone cement and is also used for replacement of intraocular lenses.

·         Stainless steel – Stainless steel is widely utilized in both orthopedic and cardiovascular implants. Having a stainless steel coated sensor enables studies of hemocompatibility and biomineralization relevant for stents and fracture fixation devices to name a couple.

·         PTFE – Another polymer, commonly used for vascular grafts, catheter coating and soft tissue augmentation. The PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) we have is Amorphous Fluoropolymer AF1600.

Protein Adsorption to Biomaterials

BLOOD-MATERIAL INTERACTIONS ARE critical for the performance and biocompatibility of implantable medical devices used in thousands of patients everyday. When a biomaterial is introduced into the body, protein adsorption and activation of complement proteins occur. Complement proteins are mediators of inflammation, and are therefore of interest in biomaterials research. Success often depend on interactions between the biomaterial’s surface and its physiological environment. Modifications are often made to the surface of biomaterials to modulate their physical and chemical properties in order to improve the functionality of the biomaterial in a given application.

When a biomaterial or medical device is placed in the body proteins almost immediately start to adsorb to the surface. In some cases, such as orthopedic implants, this is beneficial because the proteins can facilitate the attachment of cells that will lead to proper integration of the device. In other cases, for example with stents, the rapid adsorption of plasma proteins, followed by platelet adhesion and activation causes thrombus formation. Key factors in clot formation are the chemical and physical nature of the surfaces and their interactions with the blood components.

The QCM-D technology enables real-time analysis of protein adsorption onto a variety of surfaces. Specifically, the amount of protein bound as well as the rate of adsorption can be analyzed. QCM-D can be a useful tool in evaluating the immunogenicity of different biomaterials.