Enhancement of endoprosthesis anchoring using BMP-2.

Osseointegration of long-term implants is still a problem in orthopaedic surgery. In recent years, several techniques to modify the implant surface to increase bone formation around implants have been described by many authors. Most endoprostheses used in orthopaedic surgery are manufactured from titanium. To understand the process of osseointegration, one has to take into account, that the adhesion of plasma proteins on the surface of titanium implants plays an essential role in the process of implant integration. In the last years, several modifications of implant surfaces (structure, chemistry, surface charge, wettability) have been investigated to improve osseointegration of titanium implants. Furthermore, several cytokines and growth factors have also been suggested to stimulate an implant ingrowth. In this respect, functionalized titanium implant surfaces with bone morphogenetic proteins-2 (BMP-2) as one particular member of the superfamily of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta), have proven a potential to stimulate bone formation around implants in different species. In this review the authors provide an overview of surface coatings with BMP-2 and their use in laboratory and experimental settings.