A novel bioactive implant material based on a porous silicone-hydrogel-composite
Abstract
A composite material out of silicone and the natural hydrogel alginate is presented. The alginate forms an interpenetrating network within the silicone, so that water-soluble molecules are able to diffuse through the hydrogel network within the silicone material. After exchanging the alginate phase with proteins of the extracellular matrix, immobilized cells survived in the network of the composite. Together, the novel composite material based on a natural hydrogel and silicone has the potential to be used as an implant material, which is capable to release bioactive substances via diffusion and via immobilized drug releasing cells.
