| Summary: | Tissue interfacing with biocompatible surfaces can be utilized to dictate key aspects of cell behavior in the vicinity of biomedical devices such as neural implants. Consequently, engineering implant materials that interact with the brain tissue used in the treatment of central nervous system (CNS) disorders becomes vital. This thesis emphasized on developing novel coatings (biopassive and bioactive) for neurological implants such as neuro-motor prostheses (NMP) and
ventriculo-peritoneal (VP) shunts. NMPs are silicon-based devices that record electric potentials from neurons in the CNS and are currently under development as potential therapies for stroke and paralysis. One major challenge in the fabrication of these devices is to design protective coatings for the electronic components. In this work, a novel insulating coating possessing good insulation characteristics and production rate amenable for commercialization was synthesized. These
coatings were subsequently subjected to a physiologically relevant biocompatibility test and showed enhanced compatibility compared to conventional materials. On the other hand, the loss of connectivity between probes and neurons due to a chronic foreign body response by the CNS is a well-known problem. A bioactive coating that enhances neuron adhesion and neurite outgrowth was developed in a cell line as well as in a primary neuron model. With respect to VP shunts, it is known that
shunt occlusion occurs due to proliferation of reactive cells leading to multiple shunt revisions (MSR) in hydrocephalus patients. Our findings suggest that covalently conjugating a pancreatic enzyme-trypsin on the material used for the fabrication of VP shunts can mitigate reactive cell adhesion, growth as well as bio-fouling.
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