thedrifter
04-09-07, 08:59 AM
A quick fix
Scientists developing liquid to fill, heal wounds
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Posted : April 16, 2007
When a dentist fixes a cavity, he scoops out the rotten part of the tooth and fills the hole with silver.
What if a similar, temporary process could be used to repair broken bones, spinal-cord inflammation or split arteries?
Scientists at Purdue University have developed a material that begins as a liquid and then hardens to fill gaps in damaged or missing tissue. And the material may contain antibiotics to prevent infection, “growth factors” to promote tissue regeneration, or blood-clotting materials to aid in healing. Then, as healthy tissue begins to grow, the material disintegrates.
The process works in a similar way to how the body creates tissue. Molecules called polysaccharides — basically starches or sugars — combine with peptides, the body’s protein building blocks, to create temporary tissue.
Alyssa Panitch, the project’s lead scientist, said in a statement that the matrix could have any shape. “It would solidify immediately to fill the defect.”
In the case of injured spinal cords, the material could be injected into the afflicted area to control swelling, which often causes more damage than the initial injury.
If necessary, the tissue can be removed by heating it until it reaches the consistency of a gel, Panitch said.
Panitch is working to find ways to make the material stronger but still allow the release of antibiotics or clotting materials. The new material is still in the study stage and is not available for use.
— Kelly Kennedy
Ellie
Scientists developing liquid to fill, heal wounds
-
Posted : April 16, 2007
When a dentist fixes a cavity, he scoops out the rotten part of the tooth and fills the hole with silver.
What if a similar, temporary process could be used to repair broken bones, spinal-cord inflammation or split arteries?
Scientists at Purdue University have developed a material that begins as a liquid and then hardens to fill gaps in damaged or missing tissue. And the material may contain antibiotics to prevent infection, “growth factors” to promote tissue regeneration, or blood-clotting materials to aid in healing. Then, as healthy tissue begins to grow, the material disintegrates.
The process works in a similar way to how the body creates tissue. Molecules called polysaccharides — basically starches or sugars — combine with peptides, the body’s protein building blocks, to create temporary tissue.
Alyssa Panitch, the project’s lead scientist, said in a statement that the matrix could have any shape. “It would solidify immediately to fill the defect.”
In the case of injured spinal cords, the material could be injected into the afflicted area to control swelling, which often causes more damage than the initial injury.
If necessary, the tissue can be removed by heating it until it reaches the consistency of a gel, Panitch said.
Panitch is working to find ways to make the material stronger but still allow the release of antibiotics or clotting materials. The new material is still in the study stage and is not available for use.
— Kelly Kennedy
Ellie