Method and implantable article for promoting endothelialization

Claim 1

An article comprising an implantable medical device comprising a rigid, porous biomaterial selected from the group consisting of non-soluble synthetic polymers, metals and ceramics and providing a surface bearing immobilized adhesion molecules selected from the group consisting of fibronectin, laminin, collagen, and active peptide domains thereof, the adhesion molecules having been bound to each other or the surface of the biomaterial by the activation of one or more photoreactive groups covalently bound to the adhesion molecules, the photoreactive groups having been selected from the group consisting of photoreactive aryl ketones, azides, diazirines, ketenes and diazo compounds, the adhesion molecules being provided directly upon the surface in an amount suitable to promote capillary endothelialization of the device in vivo, wherein the adhesion molecule is capable of binding to the surface of a cell, and wherein the biomaterial is porous in that it provides channels or passages extending through the biomaterial and of sufficient dimensions to permit the growth of capillaries therethrough.

Claim 8

A method of preparing an implantable medical device comprising the steps of: (a) providing an implantable device comprising a rigid, porous biomaterial providing a surface, wherein the biomaterial is porous in that it provides channels or passages extending through the biomaterial and of sufficient dimensions to permit the growth of capillaries therethrough; (b) contacting the surface with adhesion molecules selected from the group consisting of fibronectin, laminin, collagen, and active peptide domains thereof, the adhesion molecules bearing one or more latent photoreactive groups selected from the group consisting of photoreactive aryl ketones, azides, diazirines, ketenes and diazo compounds; and (c) activating the photoreactive groups in order to immobilize the adhesion molecules by binding the adhesion molecules to each other or to the surface in an amount suitable to promote capillary endothelialization of the device in vivo.

Claim 9

A method of preparing an implantable medical device comprising the steps of: (a) providing an implantable device comprising a rigid, porous biomaterial providing a surface, wherein the biomaterial is porous in that it provides channels or passages extending through the biomaterial and of sufficient dimensions to permit the growth of capillaries therethrough; (b) contacting the surface with adhesion molecules selected from the group consisting of fibronectin, laminin, collagen, and active peptide domains thereof, the adhesion molecules bearing one or more latent photoreactive groups selected from the group consisting of photoreactive aryl ketones, azides, diazirines, ketenes and diazo compounds; and (c) activating the photoreactive groups in order to immobilize the adhesion molecules by binding the adhesion molecules to each other or to the surface in an amount suitable to promote capillary endothelialization of the device in vivo.

Claim 10

A method of using an implantable medical device comprising the steps of: (a) providing an implantable device comprising a rigid, porous biomaterial providing a surface, wherein the biomaterial is porous in that it provides channels or passages extending through the biomaterial and of sufficient dimensions to permit the growth of capillaries therethrough; (b) contacting the surface with adhesion molecules selected from the group consisting of fibronectin, laminin, collagen, and active peptide domains thereof, the adhesion molecules bearing one or more latent photoreactive groups selected from the group consisting of photoreactive aryl ketones, azides, diazirines, ketenes and diazo compounds; and (c) activating the photoreactive groups in order to immobilize the adhesion molecules by binding the adhesion molecules to each other or to the surface; and (d) implanting the device in contact with bodily tissues or fluids in order to promote capillary endothelialization of the device by the growth of capillary endothelial cells into the porosity of the biomaterial in vivo.

Claim 11

A method of using an implantable medical device comprising the steps of: (a) providing an implantable device comprising a rigid, porous biomaterial providing a surface, wherein the biomaterial is porous in that it provides channels or passages extending through the biomaterial and of sufficient dimensions to permit the growth of capillaries therethrough; (b) contacting the surface with adhesion molecules selected from the group consisting of fibronectin, laminin, collagen, and active peptide domains thereof, the adhesion molecules bearing one or more latent photoreactive groups selected from the group consisting of photoreactive aryl ketones, azides, diazirines, ketenes and diazo compounds; and (c) activating the photoreactive groups in order to immobilize the adhesion molecules by binding the adhesion molecules to each other or to the surface; and (d) implanting the device in contact with bodily tissues or fluids in order to promote capillary endothelialization of the device by the growth of capillary endothelial cells into the porosity of the biomaterial in vivo.