Controlled release of simvastatin from biodegradable hydrogels promotes odontoblastic differentiation.

The objective of this study was to investigate the odontoblastic differentiation of dental pulp stem cells (DPSC) by biodegradable hydrogels incorporating simvastatin micelles, both in vitro and in vivo. Simvastatin (ST) was incorporated into the micelles of gelatin grafted with L-lactic acid oligomers (LAo) to allow water-solubilization. The simvastatin-LAo-grafted gelatin (LAo-g-gelatin) micelles were mixed with gelatin, followed by chemical crosslinking to form gelatin hydrogels (ST Mi/GH).

Anti-inflammatory effects of astaxanthin in the human gingival keratinocyte line NDUSD-1.

Oral lichen planus is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects the mucous membrane of the oral cavity and can contribute to the development of other diseases. Inflammation in oral lichen planus is a T-cell-mediated autoimmune disease that acts through cytotoxic CD8(+) T cells to trigger apoptosis of keratinocytes. However, the specific cause of oral lichen planus remains unknown and no effective medical treatment has yet been established.

Preparation of thermoplastic poly(L-lactic acid) membranes for guided bone regeneration.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of application of thermoplastic poly-L lactic acid (PLLA) membranes for guided bone regeneration in rabbit parietal bone.

Materials And Methods: PLLA membranes with a molecular weight of 100,000 (PLLA-100,000) and a molecular weight of 380,000 (PLLA-380,000) were dissolved in chloroform to prepare concentrations of 8% by weight and 4% by weight, respectively. The compression strength, temperature, and time to prepare each formulation were measured.

Enhanced bone regeneration by gelatin-β-tricalcium phosphate composites enabling controlled release of bFGF.

The objective of this study was to investigate the feasibility of biodegradable gelatin-β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) composites as a cell scaffold and controlled-release carrier of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) suitable for inducing bone regeneration at a segmental bone defect. The composite of gelatin sponge and β-TCP granules had an interconnected pore structure with an average size of 340 µm. The composite provided the controlled release of bFGF over 2 weeks.

Electrodeposition of pronectin for titanium to augment gingival epithelium adhesion.

This paper is one trial of surface modification of titanium with pronectin F+ (PN) of an artificial protein to enhance gingival adhesion. Titanium plates were electrodeposited in the PN solution to prepare PN-electrodeposited titanium plates. When PN detachment from the PN-electrodeposited titanium plates was investigated, no detachment was observed, in contrast to the case of titanium plates simply coated with PN.