Injectable bone carries living stem cells

A team of researchers at the University of Nottingham have invented a new class of materials that can be injected by surgeons as a low-viscosity fluid into the body that, using body heat as the only trigger, converts into a tough porous material with mechanical properties that mimic human cancellous bone.

The mechanism of converting from a liquid to solid is novel, and is so gentle that the injectable bone can carry living stem cells and temperature-sensitive protein drugs into the body without compromising their viability or functionality.

This new class of materials can be adjusted to suit the mechanical requirements of different tissues within the body and can deliver multiple cell types and drug types with excellent control over the final location of these potent regenerative signals within the body.

"Regenerative medicine holds huge promise for patients because it opens opportunities to heal tissues that would never repair spontaneously," says Kevin Shakesheff, PhD, Professor of Advanced Drug Delivery and Tissue Engineering, Head of School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham, "A powerful concept in regenerative medicine is the use of a porous material that fills the space within the body and promotes blood vessel formation, stem cell engraftment, and ultimately the formation of functional tissue."