Papers by Anisoara Cimpean
Reviews in Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Jul 17, 2020
With the rapid advancement of medical technology, it is crucial that a considerable body of bioma... more With the rapid advancement of medical technology, it is crucial that a considerable body of biomaterials are taken into consideration and tested for the purpose of bone implant fabrication. Over the last decades degradable metallic materials have attracted increasing interest in the field of hard tissue engineering due to their ability to degrade once they have fulfilled their function, without causing side effects that could potentially be harmful for the human body. In this context, Mg-based biomaterials gained special attention due to their bone-like mechanical properties, good biocompatibility and osteoconductive properties. However, their use in biomedical applications is limited due to their rapid corrosion in physiological environments. Therefore, it is important to reduce the degradation process of these biomaterials for safe biomedical applications. Two main strategies that could potentially lead to a lower corrosion rate are represented by alloying and surface treatment. This review provides a summary of the recent specialized literature concerning Mg-based biomaterials with a special focus on the recent in vitro and in vivo studies regarding Mg-based bone implants.
In vitro evaluation of poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(ɛ-caprolactone) methyl ether copolymer coating effects on cells adhesion and proliferation
Applied Surface Science, Jun 1, 2016
Abstract Understanding and controlling natural and synthetic biointerfaces is known to be the key... more Abstract Understanding and controlling natural and synthetic biointerfaces is known to be the key to a wide variety of application within cell culture and tissue engineering field. As both material characteristics and methods are important in tailoring biointerfaces characteristics, in this work we explore the feasibility of using Matrix Assisted Pulsed Laser Evaporation technique for obtaining synthetic copolymeric biocoatings ( i.e. poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(ɛ-caprolactone) methyl ether) for evaluating in vitro Vero and MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblasts cell response. Characterization and evaluation of the coated substrates were carried out using different techniques. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy data demonstrated that the main functional groups in the MAPLE-deposited films remained intact. Atomic Force Microscopy images showed the coatings to be continuous, with the surface roughness depending on the deposition parameters. Moreover, the behaviour of the coatings in medium mimicking the pH and temperature of the human body was studied and corelated to degradation. Spectro-ellipsometry (SE) and AFM measurements revealed the degradation trend during immersion time by the changes in coating thickness and roughness. In vitro biocompatibility was studied by indirect contact tests on Vero cells in accordance with ISO 10993-5/2009. The results obtained in terms of cell morphology (phase contrast microscopy) and cytotoxicity (LDH and MTT assays) proved biocompatibility. Furthermore, direct contact assays on MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblasts demonstrated the capacity of all analyzed specimens to support cell adhesion, normal cellular morphology and growth.
Applied Surface Science, Apr 1, 2018
Processing calcium-rich natural resources, such as marble and mussel seashells, into biomimetic p... more Processing calcium-rich natural resources, such as marble and mussel seashells, into biomimetic products could constitute an environmentally-friendly and economically sustainable alternative given their geographical widespread. Hitherto, their value for biomedicine was demonstrated only for seashells, with the technological exploitation approaches still facing challenges with respect to the identification of generic synthesis parameters capable to allow the reproducible and designed synthesis of calcium phosphate at an industrial-ready level. In this study was targeted the optimization of Rathje synthesis method for the fabrication of biogenic calcium phosphates, by conveniently adjusting the chemical composition of employed reagents. It was shown that post-synthesis heat-treatment of compacted powders is the key step for inducing structural transformations suitable to attain biomimetic products for reconstructive orthopedic applications. The sintered materials have been multi-parametricallyevaluated from morpho-compositional, structural, wettability, mechanical and cytocompatibility points of view and the results have been cross-examined and discussed. Convenient and efficient preparation routes to produce biogenic hydroxyapatite have been identified. The functional performances of the as-prepared biogenic ceramics endorse their use as a solid and inexpensive alternative source material for the fabrication of various bone regenerative products and implant coatings.
Collagen/Hydroxyapatite Compositions Doped with Transitional Metals for Bone Tissue Engineering Applications
World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology, International Journal of Bioengineering and Life Sciences, Nov 13, 2017
In vitro testing of curcumin based composites coatings as antitumoral systems against osteosarcoma cells
Applied Surface Science, Dec 1, 2017
Abstract In this work, we propose a new design for biodegradable composite coatings obtained by l... more Abstract In this work, we propose a new design for biodegradable composite coatings obtained by laser methods, which are aimed at evaluating the effects of active antitumoral elements on osteosarcoma cells. Our approach relies on embedding curcumin, which is a natural polyphenol having antitumoral properties, within biodegradable copolymer coatings (i.e. polyvinyl alcohol-polyethylene glycol − PVA-PEG) by using matrix assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE). The structural and morphological characteristics of the coatings were tailored by using different solvents (water, ethanol, benzene, dimethylsufoxide) as deposition matrix. The morphological characteristics of the resulting films were investigated by atomic force microscopy (AFM), whereas their chemical composition was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). These characteristics were correlated with the degradation behavior by using ellipsometry (SE) and AFM measurements data. The in vitro study of the MG-63 osteosarcoma cell behavior indicates that the developed hybrid coatings significantly decreased osteosarcoma cell viability and proliferation potential. The physico-chemical characteristics of the thin films, along with the preliminary in vitro analyses, suggest that our developed polymeric hybrid coatings represent an efficient way to tackle the design of antitumoral surfaces, with applications in biomedicine.
Applied Surface Science, May 1, 2018
The use of smart coatings with tunable characteristics in bioengineering fields is directly corre... more The use of smart coatings with tunable characteristics in bioengineering fields is directly correlated with the surface chemical and topographical properties, the method of preparation, and also with the type of cells implied for the specific application. In this work, a versatile surface modification technique based on the use of lasers (Matrix-Assisted Pulsed Laser Evaporation (MAPLE)) was used to yield poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (pNIPAM) and its derivatives (amine, azide and amide terminated pNIPAM) functional and termoresponsive thin films. Surface properties of pNIPAM and its derivative films such as morphology, roughness and hydrophobic/hydrophilic character, as well as the thermoresponsive capacity were investigated by atomic force microscopy and contact angle measurements. The chemical characteristics of the pNIPAM based thin films were analysed by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). The chemical functionality was kept for all the samples obtained by MAPLE and the thermoresponse was demonstrated by the change in the contact angle and thickness values when the temperature was shifted from 37°C to 24°C for all the materials tested, with a smaller change for maleimide terminated pNIPAM. Biological assays performed in vitro (fluorescence microscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)) confirmed the conditioning of the early mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) growth by specific chemistry of the coatings. The cell imaging analysis revealed no cytotoxic effect of pNIPAM surfaces irrespective of type of functionalization. An increased proliferation rate of the cells grown on pNIPAM-azide surfaces and a lower cell density on pNIPAM-maleimide surfaces compared to the pNIPAM surfaces was observed, which can direct their use to potential surfaces in regenerative medicine approaches.
Reviews in Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Jul 8, 2022
With almost 100 000 people affected worldwide, cystic fibrosis (CF) represents one of the most fa... more With almost 100 000 people affected worldwide, cystic fibrosis (CF) represents one of the most fatal inherited conditions found in Caucasian individuals, being clinically characterized by a progressive pulmonary dysfunction, pancreatic insufficiency, and male infertility. Alterations in the gene that encodes the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) protein has been found to be the sole responsible for the disease, with over 2000 defects being identified since 1989. Here we present, at a basic descriptive level, the current understanding of the clinical and genetic traits of CF gene modifications, the challenges associated with the early diagnosis and management strategies but also new emerging therapies that can improve the individual's life expectancy by enabling patient-specific treatment.
Materials, Mar 15, 2023
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
Journal of Functional Biomaterials
Herein, three different recipes of multi-component hydrogels were synthesized by e-beam irradiati... more Herein, three different recipes of multi-component hydrogels were synthesized by e-beam irradiation. These hydrogels were obtained from aqueous polymer mixtures in which different proportions of bovine collagen gel, sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), poly(vinylpyrrolidone), chitosan, and poly(ethylene oxide) were used. The cross-linking reaction was carried out exclusively by e-beam cross-linking at 25 kGy, a dose of irradiation sufficient both to complete the cross-linking reaction and effective for hydrogel sterilization. The hydrogels developed in this study were tested in terms of physical and chemical stability, mechanical, structural, morphological, and biological properties. They are transparent, maintain their structure, are non-adhesive when handling, and most importantly, especially from the application point of view, have an elastic structure. Likewise, these hydrogels possessed different swelling degrees and expressed rheological behavior characteristic of soft solids ...
Applied Physics A
microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy. The optimized coating characteristics were fur... more microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy. The optimized coating characteristics were further correlated to MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblasts response. The ability to control the morphology and to maintain unaltered the chemistry of the deposited material through MAPLE is an important step in creating functional bio-interfaces in the field of biomedical research and tissue engineering.
Biological Evaluation of Some Modern Titanium Alloys for Dental Implants
World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology, International Journal of Biomedical and Biological Engineering, Aug 17, 2015
Current Health Sciences Journal, 2018
In recent years, the role of zinc in biological systems has been a subject of intense research. Z... more In recent years, the role of zinc in biological systems has been a subject of intense research. Zinc is required for multiple metabolic processes as a structural, regulatory, or catalytic ion. The objective of this study, was to assess the toxicity profile of a newly synthesized zinc-boron molecule on cultured cells. Zinc fructoborate, at different levels of concentration, was tested for its impact on the Vero kidney cell line (ATCC® CCL-81™) using the MTT assay. The compound exhibited a low cytotoxic effect on the cell line. Thus, our study demonstrates that the zinc fructoborate could become a promising dietary supplement molecule.
Reviews in Biological and Biomedical Sciences, 2020
With the rapid advancement of medical technology, it is crucial that a considerable body of bioma... more With the rapid advancement of medical technology, it is crucial that a considerable body of biomaterials are taken into consideration and tested for the purpose of bone implant fabrication. Over the last decades degradable metallic materials have attracted increasing interest in the field of hard tissue engineering due to their ability to degrade once they have fulfilled their function, without causing side effects that could potentially be harmful for the human body. In this context, Mg-based biomaterials gained special attention due to their bone-like mechanical properties, good biocompatibility and osteoconductive properties. However, their use in biomedical applications is limited due to their rapid corrosion in physiological environments. Therefore, it is important to reduce the degradation process of these biomaterials for safe biomedical applications. Two main strategies that could potentially lead to a lower corrosion rate are represented by alloying and surface treatment. This review provides a summary of the recent specialized literature concerning Mg-based biomaterials with a special focus on the recent in vitro and in vivo studies regarding Mg-based bone implants.
Surface and Coatings Technology, 2017
Design and functionalization strategies for bio-functional coatings based on biodegradable and bi... more Design and functionalization strategies for bio-functional coatings based on biodegradable and biocompatible materials intended to be employed for targeting cells activity and enhancing the bio-response are essential for both research and clinical applications. Active compounds such as ceramics and/or proteins are used for enhancing cellular response. In the last years, recent studies showed that the distribution of ceramic nanoparticles such hydroxyapatite (HA) and Lactoferrin (LF) presence have significant influence for nanocomposites interfaces for osteoblast response envisaging osseous implant application. Therefore, this work is focused on embedding HA spherical nanoparticles and lactoferrin (LF) within synthetic biodegradable copolymers Poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(ε−caprolactone) methyl ether (PEG-block-PCL Me) for the preparation of new nanocomposites coatings targeting the modulated response of osteoblast cells (i.e adhesion, mineralization). The controlled incorporation of HA and LF within the synthetic copolymeric substrates was performed by matrix assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE) method using a modular target system. The resulting morphologies and the main features were studied by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Fourier Transform
Journal of Functional Biomaterials, Dec 5, 2022
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
Applied Surface Science, 2018
Covalent immobilization of resveratrol onto cellulose acetate polymeric membranes used as coating... more Covalent immobilization of resveratrol onto cellulose acetate polymeric membranes used as coating on a Mg-1Ca-0.2Mn-0.6Zr alloy is presented for potential application in the improvement of osseointegration processes. For this purpose, cellulose acetate membrane is hydrolysed in the presence of potassium hydroxide, followed by covalent immobilization of aminopropyl triethoxy silane. Resveratrol was immobilized onto membranes using glutaraldehyde as linker. The newly synthesised functional membranes were thoroughly characterized for their structural characteristics determination employing X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Raman spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA/DTG) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques. Subsequently, in vitro cellular tests were performed for evaluating the cytotoxicity biocompatibility of synthesized materials and also the osseointegration potential of obtained derivatised membrane material. It was demonstrated that both polymeric membranes support viability
Materials
Osseointegration plays the most important role in the success of an implant. One of the applicati... more Osseointegration plays the most important role in the success of an implant. One of the applications of hydroxyapatite (HAp) is as a coating for metallic implants due to its bioactive nature, which improves osteoconduction. The purpose of this research was to assess the in vitro behavior of HAp undoped and doped with Ag and/or Sr obtained by galvanostatic pulsed electrochemical deposition. The coatings were investigated in terms of chemical bonds, contact angle and surface free energy, electrochemical behavior, in vitro biomineralization in acellular media (SBF and PBS), and biocompatibility with preosteoblasts cells (MC3T3-E1 cell line). The obtained results highlighted the beneficial impact of Ag and/or Sr on the HAp. The FTIR spectra confirmed the presence of hydroxyapatite within all coatings, while in terms of wettability, the contact angle and surface free energy investigations showed that all surfaces were hydrophilic. The in vitro behavior of MC3T3-E1 indicated that the pres...
Nanomaterials
Nowadays, using polymers with specific characteristics to coat the surface of a device to prevent... more Nowadays, using polymers with specific characteristics to coat the surface of a device to prevent undesired biological responses can represent an optimal strategy for developing new and more efficient implants for biomedical applications. Among them, zwitterionic phosphorylcholine-based polymers are of interest due to their properties to resist cell and bacterial adhesion. In this work, the Matrix-Assisted Laser Evaporation (MAPLE) technique was investigated as a new approach for functionalising Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) surfaces with zwitterionic poly(2-Methacryloyloxyethyl-Phosphorylcholine) (pMPC) polymer. Evaluation of the physical–chemical properties of the new coatings revealed that the technique proposed has the advantage of achieving uniform and homogeneous stable moderate hydrophilic pMPC thin layers onto hydrophobic PDMS without any pre-treatment, therefore avoiding the major disadvantage of hydrophobicity recovery. The capacity of modified PDMS surfaces to reduce bacter...
Ceramics International, 2021
Comprehensive analysis of compatible natural fibre as sacrificial porogen template for tailored c... more Comprehensive analysis of compatible natural fibre as sacrificial porogen template for tailored ceramic 3D bioproducts destined for hard tissue reconstruction,
Priochem 2021, Mar 23, 2022
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
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Papers by Anisoara Cimpean