Author ORCID Identifier
0000-0001-5551-3602
Defense Date
2025
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science
Department
Biomedical Engineering
First Advisor
Rene Olivares-Navarrete
Abstract
Biomaterials of Biomaterials of various compositions are implanted throughout the body for a variety of clinical applications. Metals and polymers such as titanium alloys (TiAlV) and polyetheretherketone (PEEK) are popular bone-dwelling biomaterials in fracture healing, craniofacial and other orthopedic repairs due to their mechanical properties. Although these are useful materials for replacing or restoring function to bone, their long-term viability depends on successful osseointegration at the bone-implant interface, which is a point of concern especially for individuals with impaired healing or chronic inflammation. This has prompted the use of growth factors, such as bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2), which has been used for its capacity to induce bone formation. BMPs are a group of growth factors essential for embryonic development and tissue formation. While significantly improving bone formation, the use of BMP-2 as an adjuvant in bone healing repairs has also been linked to increased inflammation leading to unwelcome complications and suggests an effect on immune cells that is not well understood. Previous investigations into BMP-2 sources have shown that, although BMP-2 is secreted by osteoprogenitor and vascular endothelial cells at the injury site, they are not required for healing. In contrast, the ablation of macrophages does inhibit bone healing, which leads to the question of whether immune cells, particularly macrophages, are key sources of BMP-2. In the work completed for my thesis through a combination of in vitro and in vivo experiments, we have 1) established that BMP-2 induces pro-inflammatory macrophage activation in response to biomaterials, and 2) determined that pro-inflammatory macrophages express the Bmp2 gene and produce BMP-2 in response to biomaterials, damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) and pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs).
Rights
© The Author
Is Part Of
VCU University Archives
Is Part Of
VCU Theses and Dissertations
Date of Submission
4-29-2025