Premium
The effect of adherens junction components on keratinocyte adhesion in vitro : Potential implications for sealing the skin‐implant interface of intraosseous transcutaneous amputation prostheses
Author(s) -
Pendegrass Catherine Jane,
Tucker Bethan,
Patel Shelain,
Dowling Robert,
Blunn Gordon William
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
journal of biomedical materials research part a
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.849
H-Index - 150
eISSN - 1552-4965
pISSN - 1549-3296
DOI - 10.1002/jbm.a.34290
Subject(s) - adherens junction , materials science , cell adhesion , osseointegration , cell , cadherin , biomedical engineering , adhesion , microbiology and biotechnology , implant , medicine , chemistry , biology , surgery , composite material , biochemistry
Amputation places a significant burden on healthcare systems worldwide as patients suffer life‐long complications associated with the stump‐socket interface. Skin penetrating, osseointegrated implants like intraosseous transcutaneous amputation prostheses, could overcome this, however, they rely on the formation and maintenance of an infection‐free seal at the skin‐implant interface. Epithelial cell migration around transcutaneous implants creates downgrowth, which leads to infection and implant failure. Epithelial cells form cell–cell attachments via adherens junctions and desmosomes that prevent cell migration via contact inhibition. If epithelial cells formed cell–cell attachments with an implant surface, it could facilitate stronger cell attachment and prevent downgrowth. In adherens junctions, E‐cadherin is essential in homotypic cell attachment. In this study, we have demonstrated that cell–cell adherens junctions can be formed on substrates adsorbed with E‐cadherin. We have assessed the effects of two E‐cadherin peptides and determined an optimal concentration for increasing cell attachment via adherens junctions. We have demonstrated that adsorption of 15 μg/mL of the full extracellular domain of E‐cadherin to titanium alloy significantly increases metabolic activity, cell area, and attachment of murine keratinocytes in vitro , with a fourfold increase in attachment via adherens junctions at 24, 48, and 72 h. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 100A:3463–3471, 2012.