Published online by Cambridge University Press: 14 March 2011
Bone fractures are one of the most common bone complications. In more severe cases, bone fixation is accomplished using titanium (Ti) implant materials. Unfortunately, the need for revision surgery often arises due to implant loosening and/or deterioration of the implant/bone interface. Rosette nanotubes (RNTs) are a class of self-assembled organic materials obtained through the self-assembly of a guanine-cytosine hybrid base (G∧C motif). These organic materials have been found to increase osteoblast (bone forming cells) adhesion and hydroxyapatite deposition (bone regeneration) on titanium implants as well as on engineered hydrogels. In order to increase the bioactivity of RNTs to enhance bone cell function on Ti implants, two RNT motifs functionalized with different bioactive deca-peptides (A, B) chosen from the knuckle region of bone morphogenic proteins-7 (BMP-7) were synthesized. Their self-assembly process was investigated in water using UV-Vis and SEM techniques.