OSSEOINTEGRATIVE MENISCUS AND CARTILAGE IMPLANTS BASED ON BETA-GLUCAN NANOCOMPOSITES

摘要

The present invention provides engineered composite materials for use in medical treatment of injured or degenerated menisci, cartilage, and bone. The composite materials include a cellulosic layer substantially or completely consisting of β-1→4-glucan units, and a hydrogel layer substantially or completely consisting of copolymers of β-1→2-glucan, β-1→3-glucan, and/or β-1→4-glucan, or mixtures of two or all three of these units. Production of the composite materials is achieved in a single culture milieu, using regulation of oxygen availability to control production of the various units and deposition of the layers by Acetobacter xylinum or other microorganisms that produce extracellular cellulosic material.