Coating helps stem cells colonize textile implants

18 January 2010, Boennigheim - Hohenstein Institute scientists have developed a special coating that allows adult human stem cells to colonize on the surface of medical textile implants which are then used to treat patients in a variety of procedures.

In a theoretical stem cell therapy situation, mesenchymal stem cells are harvested from the patient and inserted into Hohenstein’s special biomaterial coating. The stem cells reproduce within the coating and populate the surface of the medical textile. The surgeon then implants the coated medical textile into the patient to repair the injured tissue. Over time, the medical textile and the coating dissolve and are absorbed harmlessly into the patient’s body.

Hohenstein scientists are working to optimize the biomedical coating to maximize the number of stem cells which grow on the textile implant’s surface. Concentrating the stem cells at the injury site is believed to improve the cells’ ability to successfully repair tissue damage. The scientists are also focused on adapting the biomedical coating technology to work on the diverse materials used for medical textile implants.

Hohenstein says that stem cell therapy shows tremendous promise as a treatment for heart attacks, spinal cord injuries, and damaged bones and joints as stem cells can transform into different kinds of cells and can regenerate damaged tissue. Medical textiles are used as implants in many surgical procedures and not only does the textile transmit stem cells, medicines, or other compounds but the textile structure also stabilizes and patches the injured tissue.