Rice
Thermogelling Hydrogel Turns Hard When Injected Into Body to
Support Stem Cells (VIDEO)
Bones break and softer tissues get damaged in a variety of ways, but new tech**logies, especially patient-derived
Stem cell, can help restore them to a*healthy state.
Stem cells, while extremely competent at differentiating*into target*tissues, have to be delivered and kept at the therapy site long e**ugh to do their thing.
Researchers at
Rice University developed a special
Hydrogel that is a liquid at room temperature, but that solidifies
When heated to
Body temperature. The
Hydrogel can be mixed with
Stem Cells and
Injected Into bone where it toughens and provides a medium in which the
Cells can differentiate and grow. Before the mixture is injected, a**ther substance is added to the
Hydrogel to program how fast it will break down once inside the body, allowing new
Cells to grow and to fill in the space initially supported by the solid hydrogel. The researchers believe the tech**logy would be most applicable in craniofacial orthopedic procedures where minimally invasive therapies are particularly wanted.
Study in
Biomacromolecules:
Synthesis and Characterization of Injectable, Biodegradable, Phosphate-Containing, Chemically Cross-Linkable, Thermoresponsive Macromers for Bone Tissue Engineering…
Press release:
A hydrogel that k**ws when to go…
