"Biodegradable Scaffold Demonstrated to Improve Bone Repair." Azom.com. May 2012. AZoM. Web. 1 May 2012.
Engineers from Tufts University recently successfully used
micron-sized silk fibers to create a bone scaffold. This material is
biodegradable and significantly adds support when bone is repairing itself.
Other all-polymeric biomaterials can be used to aid in bone growth. One example
is collagen. However, these biomaterials do not have the support that this new
material demonstrates. The new material consists of silk protein microfibers
bonded to a silk protein scaffold. This provided a much higher level of
strength and better responses in bone repair. It was discovered that this
artificial matrix was very similar to real bone in terms of rigidity and
roughness, which aided in better bone growth.
This media file connects to the Honors bio topic involving
the skeletal system. Bone marrow, the innermost layer of bone, is porous and
allows for some elasticity in the bone. However, disease or trauma can impair
bone tissue. Repair in this damaged bone tissue is vital to restoring
homeostatic balance. In addition, this new technology aids in bone growth,
referring to osteoblasts, as they create new bone cells.
Once the silk fibers break down, how would it exit one's body?
ReplyDeleteI am unsure if the fibers are even meant to break down while the individual is still living. However, if they do break down once the bone has built itself into a strong structure using this scaffold, I assume the blood vessels within the spongy bone would carry away the broken down peices of fibers and would then be filtered out of the blood as waste.
DeleteDo they do anything to treat, or cure the silk to make it more like real bone? If so, what?
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DeleteDuring the manufacturing of the silk mocrofibers, scientists use alkaline hydrolysis, which uses alkali chemicals to break down large molecules into building blocks. This created differently sized mocrofibers.
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