Chemobrionics in action
Scientists first discovered living-like "chemical gardens" formed from metal salts in an aqueous solution of sodium silicate (liquid glass) hundreds of years ago.
Researchers from the University of Birmingham, UK, have used this method to develop new materials at micro- and nanoscale levels.
They decided to find out if chemobrionics could be used to form an architecture that would be chemically and structurally similar to human bone tissue in order to use it to create a basis for bone regeneration.
The group used a calcium-saturated gel in a phosphate solution and grew from it long hollow hydroxyapatite tubes, which are similar in composition to natural bone. Hydroxyapatite is used as a material for repairing damaged bones, but it is usually made in the form of a powder or a solid block, which then needs to be molded with subsequent processing.
The individual structures grown by the researchers roughly correspond in thickness to strands of human hair. Hydroxyapatite tubes have distinctive features, including a porous surface that promotes interaction with living cells.
This study demonstrates the similarity of chemobrionically grown tubes with structures found in bone tissue, such as osteons – long cylindrical channels in the bone in which blood vessels run.
This is not the only example of the action of chemobrionic principles in nature. For example, on the ocean floor, hot, mineral-rich liquids are ejected from hydrothermal vents and react with cold seawater to form tubular structures.
The researchers tested in vitro the ability of hydroxyapatite tubes to support the viability and growth of stem cells. They demonstrated a wide spread of cells inside and around the tubes after 48 hours. This indicates favorable interactions of cells with the material and the possibility of application in regenerative medicine.
The use of chemobrionics for the production of biocompatible materials is a relatively new approach, but the authors report a really great potential of the method. These structures promote cellular integration, which means they can be used for bone regeneration.
The next steps include conducting further studies of the properties of tubular materials and finding ways to change them for better tissue regeneration. The researchers hope that their work will lead to the development of a new class of chemobrionic bone substitutes.
Article by E.Hughes et al. Chemobrionic structures in tissue engineering: self-assembling calcium phosphate tubes as cellular scaffolds is published in the journal Biomaterials Science.
Aminat Adzhieva, portal "Eternal Youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru according to the University of Birmingham: Scientists create 'Chemical gardens' that can be used as bone substitute materials.