MODULATION OF THE TISSUE REACTION TO BIOMATERIALS .1. BIOCOMPATIBILITY OF CROSS-LINKED DERMAL SHEEP COLLAGENS AFTER MACROPHAGE DEPLETION

Although in the last few years in general the biocompatibility of biomaterials has significantly improved, unwanted tissue reactions are often observed resulting in early resorption of the biomaterial, loosening of the implant or in a chronic (immunologic) response. From immunologic studies it is known that inflammatory reactions can be modulated by use of (anti) growth factors or anti-inflammatory drugs. Before this can be employed the role of individual factors (humoral and cellular) involved in the inflammatory reaction against biomaterials has to be studied. In this part of the study the role of macrophages is studied with and without depletion by use of the liposomes-mediated macrophage suicide technique. Crosslinked dermal sheep collagens were used as biodegradable test materials. The results showed that macrophage depletion increases vascularization, and decreases the infiltration of granulocytess into the collagens. The foreign body reaction, i.e. the infiltration of macrophages and giant cells was significantly inhibited, resulting in a strongly delayed degradation time of the biomaterials. However, macrophage depletion did not inhibit attraction of fibroblasts and even resulted in increased formation of autologous rat-collagen, which improved the biocompatibility and the function of the biomaterials as a tempory scaffold.