  Magnesium is an excellent material in terms of biocompatibility and its
corrosion products can serve as an active source for new bone formation.
However, localized corrosion and H2 generation limit the potential of Mg-based
implants. Utilizing low-alloyed Mg-Zn wires can strongly reduce problems with
large H2 bubbles and improve the mechanical properties considerably while
maintaining excellent long-term biocompatibility. Acidic pickling and a polymer
coating can be effectively used to lower the rate of in vivo degradation. In
this work, microstructural, mechanical, and in vitro characterization of 250 um
and 300 um extruded wires made from ultra-pure Mg, commercially pure Mg,
Mg-0.15Zn, Mg-0.4Zn and Mg-1Zn was performed. Additionally, Mg-0.4Zn wires
together with a variant coated with a copolymer of L-lactide and
{\epsilon}-caprolactone were tested in vivo on artificially damaged Wistar rat
femurs. Based on the observed Mg-induced osteogenesis, polymer-coated Mg wires
with a small addition of Zn are a perspective material for bone-support
applications, such as cerclage and fixation wires.
