LAUSR

issue healing, repair, and reconstruction require the T coordinated activation of molecular and cellular processes. Bioactive implants, defined as implants which influence the surrounding cell-recruitment and osseointegration, are replacing the passive mechanical devices that have been implanted in the past. This evolution will, undoubtedly, reframe biomechanics away from the macroscopic framework of bone structural properties toward that of interactions of cells on the surrounding matrix through integrins and other cytoskeletal components. This emphasis may incorporate micro, and especially, nanotopographical features, with a greater emphasis on the biology of the implants, and the specific surface features that provide systemic or local influences. As we move from macro to micro to nano environments, we will be able to design to promote attributes on a specific length scale, down from the cellular to the molecular level. This type of stimulation would work through some nonmechanical avenues, stimulating healing by manipulating surface energy and surface properties. The development of customized nanotextured surfaces, either by chance or design, could allow for the optimization of cellular adhesion and growth on the surfaces of implants.