Heart muscle cells could soon be regrown.
Bone injuries, meanwhile, are often treated by using healthy bone from other body parts. A time-consuming method that doesn’t guarantee a strong bond, issues that a South Korean research team is addressing with its new hydrogel.
The gel comprises sugar polymers from brown algae, calcium ions and adhesive proteins from mussels. It is injected into the damaged site and treated with light, triggering a reaction in other ingredients.
Individual components then bind and form calcium phosphate. This bone substitute attracts the body’s natural bone cells, which accelerate the bone grafting process. Simultaneously, the hydrogel degrades.
Others are experimenting with stem cells from fat tissue and sound waves or eggshells to stimulate bone regeneration.
