Three-dimensional bone fragments

The result of the work of researchers from several leading universities in the UK has become a new technology called "nanokicking" (from the English nanokicking), or "nanovibration" and allows to grow three-dimensional samples of mineralized bone tissue from mesenchymal stem cells in laboratory conditions.

Bone tissue occupies the second place after blood among the tissues used for transplantation. It is used in reconstructive maxillofacial and orthopedic surgery. However, currently surgeons can receive a very limited amount of a patient's living bone tissue for transplantation, and donor tissue can cause serious rejection reactions. Instead, they have to use non-biological implants that do not carry cells to repair bone defects, which significantly limits the possibilities of reconstruction.

In their work, the authors demonstrated the possibility of converting mesenchymal stem cells into living three-dimensional fragments of bone tissue using a complex system of laser interferometers, originally developed to register gravitational waves of astrophysical objects. These fragments can be used in the future to repair or replace damaged areas of bones.

Mesenchymal stem cells contained in the bone marrow and other tissues of the body have the potential to differentiate into various specialized cells of the body, such as cells of bone, cartilage, ligaments, tendons and muscle tissue. "Nanokicking" exposes cells suspended in a collagen gel to ultra-fine vibrations acting at the nanoscale. This turns the cell mass into a kind of "putty" for sealing bone defects. The use of the patient's own cells excludes the development of a rejection reaction.

According to one of the study leaders, Professor Matthew Dalby, at the present stage, the developed approach is reproducible and accessible, which will allow clinical trials to begin in about three years.

Article by Penelope M. Tsimbouri et al. Stimulation of 3D osteogenesis by mesenchymal stem cells using a nanovibrational bioreactor is published in the journal Nature Biomedical Engineering.

Evgenia Ryabtseva
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru based on the materials of Universities of Glasgow: Lab-grown bone cell breakthrough heralds new benefits for orthopaedics.

15.09.2017