Biomaterial of the week:

Hyaff-11

This biomaterial is a hyaluronan based polymer which is biocompatible and biodegradble. It was developed for tissue engineering applications. It is obtained in several different morphologies i.e. sponges, fibers, thereds and microfibers.

Hyaff11 is used in many eays as a biological scuffold. When reinforced with hydroxyaptite it was shown to have a great potential for application in orthopedic fields, especially as vertebral trabecular bone substitute (1). In another study it was used as a scuffold for endothelial cells for tissue engineered vascular grafts (2). Lately Hyaff11 was used rat model as a as nerve guide(3).

1. C. Giordano, V. Sanginario, L. Ambrosio, L. Di Silvio and M. Santin. Assessment of Hyaluronic Acid Benzyl Ester-Hydroxyapatite Composite

Chemical-Physical Characterization and in vitro Preliminary Biological. J Biomater Appl 2006; 20; 237

2. Neill J. Turner, Cay M. Kielty, Michael G. Walker and A.E.Ann E. Canfield. A novel hyaluronan-based biomaterial (Hyaff-11) as a scaffold for endothelial cells in tissue engineered vascular grafts. Biomaterials 2004 25;28.

3. K. Jansen Y. Ludwig M. J. A. van Luyn A. A. Gramsbergen M. F. Meek. Evaluation of morphological and functional nerve recovery of rat sciatic nerve with a Hyaff11-based nerve guide. Applied Bionics and Biomechanics 2006, 3;2.