Ex vivo Research

Numerous biomaterials are available to enhance regeneration in bone and soft tissue. However, these biomaterials can either be naturally derived, i.e. from humans or animals, or produced synthetically. In both cases, different processing techniques lead to different physio-chemical characteristics that have a direct effect on the biomaterial-related inflammatory pattern and its regenerative capacity. In addition, as a first step, ex vivo analyses investigate the structure and composition of the biomaterials in terms of the chemical compound, the constitution and the included organic, inorganic phases and the level of contamination in naturally derived biomaterials.

                                                                                                                            Ghanaati et al. 2014- Acta Biomaterialia

In FORM-Lab, we aim to enhance the regenerative capacity of biomaterials using different techniques. One on these techniques is biomaterial pre-loading with autologous cells generated by the centrifugation of the patient’s own peripheral blood according to established protocols. The resulting cell concentrates termed platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) contain a high number of platelets, leucocytes and a high concentration on growth factors and plasma proteins suspended in a liquid phase (i-PRF). 

In addition to the liquid (i-PRF), solid platelet-rich fibrin shows a three-dimensional fibrin structure in which platelets and leucocytes are embedded. The used centrifugation protocol, i.e. the applied relative centrifugation force (RCF), directly influences the three-dimensional structure of the generated fibrin clot as well as the cellular distribution in the fibrin clot. In this context, we have demonstrated that reducing the RCF leads to a more porous fibrin clot and an evenly distributed platelet throughout the fibrin clot. Ongoing research focuses on the role of the fibrin structure and the selective alteration of the included cells according to the low speed centrifugation      concept (LSCC)

                                                      Ghanaati et al. 2014 -  J Oral Implantol