Mechanical and in vitro investigation of a porous PEEK foam for medical device implants.

Purpose: Implantable-grade polyetheretherketone (PEEK-OPTIMA®) is a high-performance thermoplastic that has been used in implant devices such as spinal-fusion cages since its introduction in 1999. Here, a new porous PEEK version was investigated.

Methods: Porous PEEK was fabricated using industrial scale relevant methods of compounding with porogen filler, extrusion, and subsequent extraction with water at supercritical temperatures and pressures.

Enhanced osteoblastic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells seeded in RGD-functionalized PLLA scaffolds and cultured in a flow perfusion bioreactor.

The present study combines chemical and mechanical stimuli to modulate the osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) peptides incorporated into biomaterials have been shown to upregulate MSC osteoblastic differentiation. However, these effects have been assessed under static culture conditions, while it has been reported that flow perfusion also has an enhancing effect on MSC osteoblastic differentiation.