New bioengineering research helps repair damaged bones without the side effects of other treatments. According to scientists, this breakthrough will lead to better results for patients.
The researchers predict that the discovery could lead to innovative treatments by helping bone tissue to regenerate, helping cancer patients with severe skeletal injuries or bone loss.
Scottish scientists have discovered a new way to harness the powerful healing effects of ‘growth factors’ – natural molecules that facilitate the body’s regenerative processes.
Growth factors are important in developmental biology, regulating the growth of the body from childhood to adulthood.
In addition, they play an important role in the recovery of the body after injury by initiating complex processes that efficiently repair and reattach damaged tissue.
A team of researchers led by the University of Glasgow have explained how they succeeded.
They use an inexpensive polymer called poly(ethyl acrylate), or pea, to create surgical implants that can be used in bone defects.
A unique feature in the implant allows the team to capture inactive growth factors in the body and start working only where they are needed.
It is also used in lower concentrations than previous treatments, helping to reduce the chance of unwanted bone growth outside the area that needs treatment. “
The team’s research revealed that PEA interacts with fibronectin, the most abundant protein in the human body, and forms a nanoscale network.
As the tissue forms, it exposes certain amino acids in the fibronectin molecule and changes the shape of the fibronectin.
