Biomaterials: Foreign Bodies or Tuners for the Immune Response?
The perspectives of regenerative medicine are still severely hampered by the host response to biomaterial implantation, despite the robustness of technologies that hold the promise to recover the functionality of damaged organs and tissues. In this scenario, the cellular and molecular events that decide on implant success and tissue regeneration are played at the interface between the foreign body and the host inflammation, determined by innate and adaptive immune responses. To avoid adverse events, rather than the use of inert scaffolds, current state of the art points to the use of immunomodulatory biomaterials and their knowledge-based use to reduce neutrophil activation, and optimize M1 to M2 macrophage polarization, Th1 to Th2 lymphocyte switch, and Treg induction. Despite the fact that the field is still evolving and much remains to be accomplished, recent research breakthroughs have provided a broader insight on the correct choice of biomaterial physicochemical modifications to tune the reaction of the host immune system to implanted biomaterial and to favor integration and healing.
['Mariani|Erminia|E|', 'Lisignoli|Gina|G|', 'Borzì|Rosa Maria|RM|', 'Pulsatelli|Lia|L|']
D056704:Adaptive Immunity D001672:Biocompatible Materials D002454:Cell Differentiation D005549:Foreign-Body Reaction D006801:Humans D007113:Immunity, Innate D007155:Immunologic Factors D008264:Macrophages D018375:Neutrophil Activation D009504:Neutrophils D019736:Prostheses and Implants D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory D018417:Th1 Cells D058408:Th1-Th2 Balance D018418:Th2 Cells D054457:Tissue Scaffolds
biomaterials immune response scaffold macrophages extra-cellular matrix foreign body reaction