Artificial
bone, created using stem cells and a new lightweight plastic, could soon be
used to heal shattered limbs.
The use of bone stem cells combined with a
degradable rigid material that inserts into broken bones and encourages real
bone to re-grow has been developed at the Universities of Edinburgh and
Southampton.
Researchers have developed the material with
a honeycomb scaffold structure that allows blood to flow through it, enabling
stem cells from the patient’s bone marrow to attach to the material and grow
new bone. Over time, the plastic slowly degrades as the implant is replaced by
newly grown bone.
Scientists developed the material by blending
three types of plastics. They used a pioneering technique to blend and test
hundreds of combinations of plastics, to identify a blend that was robust,
lightweight, and able to support bone stem cells. Successful results have been
shown in the lab and in animal testing with the focus now moving towards human
clinical evaluation.
The study, published in the journal Advanced
Functional Materials, was funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences
Research Council.
This new discovery is the result of a
seven-year partnership between the University of Southampton and the University
of Edinburgh.
Richard Oreffo, Professor of Musculoskeletal
Science at the University of Southampton, comments: "Fractures and bone
loss due to trauma or disease are a significant clinical and socioeconomic
problem. This collaboration between chemistry and medicine has identified
unique candidate materials that support human bone stem cell growth and allow
bone formation. Our collaborative strategy offers significant therapeutic
implications."
Professor Mark Bradley, of the University of
Edinburgh’s School of Chemistry, adds: “We were able to make and look at a
hundreds of candidate materials and rapidly whittle these down to one which is
strong enough to replace bone and is also a suitable surface upon which to grow
new bone.
“We are confident that this material could
soon be helping to improve the quality of life for patients with severe bone
injuries, and will help maintain the health of an ageing population.”
Source: University of Southampton
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