Nanocomposite patch for the heart
In Russia, they figured out how to cure a myocardial infarction in a matter of months
A new approach to organ regeneration, which has no analogues in terms of price and efficiency, has been developed by scientists of the National Research University of MIET. The material created by them, as the authors explained, will allow to restore heart tissue after a heart attack in just two to four months. The data are published in the journal Spectrochimica Acta Part A: Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy.
MIET specialists, for the first time in the world, according to them, managed to find a way to chemically bind carbon nanotubes with molecules of the most common blood protein – albumin. The physical mechanism they discovered made it possible to develop a new method of laser 3D printing of nanocomposites.
"Under the action of a laser, a strong covalent bond arises between albumin and carbon nanotubes, which allows printing structures of a given shape. Living cells – for example, connective tissue or myocardium – easily take root on such scaffolds (scaffolds), thanks to which it is possible to effectively restore damaged body tissues," said Alexander Gerasimenko, head of the Biomedical Nanotechnology Laboratory at the Institute of Biomedical Systems of NIU MIET.
A scheme for the formation of nanocomposite structures by laser printing and an image of a monolayer of connective tissue cells on a nanocomposite structure. Photo: Institute of BMS NIU MIET, Alexander Gerasimenko.
As the scientists explained, the heart implants they created are three to four times cheaper than Russian and six to eight times cheaper than foreign analogues, surpassing both in a number of parameters. In addition to scaffolds used in tissue engineering, the technology is also suitable for the production of biosensors, microfluidic systems and even advanced cancer drugs.
"We are able to print a material similar in characteristics to cardiac tissue: it can contract together with the myocardium and has electrical conductivity, passing the heart's biological currents. Our method also allows us to regulate the porosity of structures, ensuring the penetration of both living cells and the germination of capillaries and nerve endings," explained Alexander Gerasimenko.
Before implantation, the printed scaffold is populated with living cells and "matures" for some time. As noted by the specialists of NIU MIET, a number of successful experiments have shown that stem cells can also be used for this, which can turn into cells of the tissue into which they are transplanted.
Scientists are confident that their method will effectively combat pathologies such as congenital heart defects and myocardial infarction, aneurysm, atherosclerosis and cardiosclerosis. According to them, the nanocomposite "patch" for myocardial infarction in two to four months completely restores the affected area, and the frame is absorbed at the same time.
The scientists noted that the technology was implemented in close cooperation with leading Russian scientific and technical centers. In the future, the team intends to move on to the introduction of the method into clinical practice, as well as adapt the technology to create coatings for various implantable systems.
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru