医疗设备的植入并非没有风险。除了发生细菌或真菌感染外，人体的强烈免疫反应可能导致植入物的排斥。1121单元“生物材料和生物工程”（Inserm/Strasbourg University）的研究人员成功地创建了具有抗菌，抗真菌和抗炎特性的生物膜。它可用于覆盖钛植入物（骨科假体，起搏器等）预防或控制术后感染。其他常用的医疗设备，这些设备引起许多传染性问题，例如导管，也可能受益。这些结果已发表在《高级医疗材料》杂志上。可植入的医疗设备（假体/起搏器）是微生物的理想界面，可以轻松地定居其表面。因此，可能会发生细菌感染并导致炎症反应。这可能会导致植入物被拒绝。这些感染主要是由细菌（例如金黄色葡萄球菌）引起的，起源于体内和铜绿假单胞菌。 These infections may also be fungal or caused by yeasts. The challenge presented by implanting medical devices in the body is preventing the occurrence of these infections, which lead to an immune response that compromises the success of the implant. Antibiotics are currently used during surgery or to coat certain implants. However, the emergence of multi-resistant bacteria now restricts their effectiveness.
It is within this context that researchers have developed a biofilm with antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. Researchers have used a combination of two substances: polyarginine (PAR) and hyaluronic acid (HA), to develop and create a film invisible to the naked eye (between 400 and 600 nm thick) that is made of several layers. As arginine is metabolised by immune cells to fight pathogens, it has been used to communicate with the immune system to obtain the desired anti-inflammatory effect. Hyaluronic acid, a natural component of the body, was also chosen for its biocompatibility and inhibiting effect on bacterial growth. The film is also unique due to the fact that it embeds natural antimicrobial peptides, in particular catestatin, to prevent possible infection around the implant. This is an alternative to the antibiotics that are currently used. As well as having a significant antimicrobial role, these peptides are not toxic to the body that they are secreted into. They are capable of killing bacteria by creating holes in their cellular wall and preventing any counter-attack on their side.
In this study researchers show that poly(arginine), associated with hyaluronic acid, possesses microbial activity against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) for over 24 hours. "In order to prolong this activity, we have placed a silver-coated precursor before applying the film. Silver is an anti-infectious material currently used on catheters and dressings. This strategy allows us to extend antimicrobial activity in the long term" explains Philippe Lavalle, Research Director at Inserm. The results from numerous tests performed on this new film shows that it reduces inflammation and prevents the most common bacterial and fungal infections. On the one hand, researchers demonstrate, through contact with human blood, that the presence of the film on the implant suppresses the activation of inflammatory markers normally produced by immune cells in response to the implant. Moreover, "the film inhibits the growth and long-term proliferation of staphylococcal bacteria (金黄色葡萄球菌），酵母菌菌株（Candida albicans）或真菌（阿斯皮格鲁斯富马图斯) that frequently cause implant-related infection" emphasises Philippe Lavalle. Researchers conclude that this film may be used in vivo on implants or medical devices within a few years to control the complex microenvironment surrounding implants and to protect the body from infection. This work received the financial support from Institut Carnot MICA and from European Commission with the "Immodgel" project.

Using a succession of biological mechanisms, Sandia National Laboratories researchers have created linkages of polymer nanotubes that resemble the structure of a nerve, with many out-thrust filaments poised to gather or send electrical impulses. "This is the first demonstration of naturally occurring proteins assembling chemically created polymers into complex structures that modern machinery can't duplicate," said Sandia National Laboratories researcher George Bachand. Currently, rigid electrodes that cause inflammation are used to penetrate nerve tissue trying to communicate with an artificial limb, he explained. Instead, in a future application, the polymer network could be used extend the nerve, providing a gentler prosthetic interface.
正常制造技术无法实现的神经结构的创建始于改变动力蛋白运动蛋白的行为 - 每个人类细胞中发现的生物机器。这些微小的电动机通常从单元的一部分到另一个部分，将其贴在视频图形中，将其描绘成具有两条腿的垂直身体。这些大步沿着形成细胞结构的蛋白质微管。电动机的目的性类似于扫帚的扫帚，不懈地将水桶载在城堡楼梯上。研究人员将本质的机械转动到其头上，使用已知的技术将动力蛋白电动机的“肩膀”粘合到玻璃基板上。这样可以防止他们的身体行进，但是他们上方的“腿”继续剧烈运动。这些通过微管上方的微管，就像观众挤在抬高手上一样。在下一个实验室步骤中，这些行进的蛋白微管（长度为微米）遇到了相对较大的聚合物球，直径数十微米，由研究人员插入。
帕克斯顿说：“那时，我们拥有想要进行工作的结构 - 动力蛋白驱动的微管 - 以及他们想在球面上工作的事情。”微管，用粘​​性物质预先涂覆，从球体上捏住聚合物纳米管，随着驱动蛋白电动机的运行，这些纳米管会延长。帕克斯顿说，该过程类似于奶酪延长的刺痛束，从锅中取出一块披萨。随着纳米管的延长和交叉链接，它们形成了足够复杂的结构，以使人想起一个从高海拔的飞机上看到的城市的灯光。网络范围从数百微米到数十毫米的总尺寸，由直径30至50纳米的管组成。
这项工作的目的是建立人为的，高度分支的神经结构。下一步是，我们可以将它们连接在一起吗？答案是，电动机应该自然地做到这一点。两个这样的网络加在一起，它们将内置自我修复。电动机在燃油用完之前永远不会停止运行。神经分支断裂，然后电动机可以在该区域作用以产生新的分支。”量子点的插入也被证明是稳定的，这意味着可以将光用于通过结构和电力携带信息。