The graphene foam supports cultivated laboratory cartilage for future osteoarthritis treatments

Researchers from Boise State University have developed a new technique and a new platform to communicate with cells and help lead them towards the formula formation. Their work uses a carbon 3D biocompatible form known as graphene foam and is star On the cover of Applied materials and interfaces.

In this work, researchers aim to develop new techniques and materials which, hopefully, can lead to new treatments for osteoarthritis by tissue engineering. Arthrosis is driven by the irreversible degradation of hyalin cartilage in the joints, which ultimately leads to pain and disability, the complete replacement of the items being standard clinical treatment. Using tailor -made bioreactors and 3D prints with electrical foods, they were able to provide brief daily electrical impulses with cells grown on a 3D graphene foam.

Researchers discovered that the application of direct electrical stimulation to ATDC5 cells adhered to 3D foam biosffolds considerably strengthens their mechanical properties and improves cell growth – key metrics to obtain cultivated laboratory cartilaries. ATDC5 cells are a well -studied chondrogenic proper -berogenic cellular line as a model of tissue engineering from cartilage.

In addition, their specialized configuration has enabled a complete submersion of the 3D foam foam scaffold, improving the fixing of cells and integration into its porous structure – by clarifying a promising approach to improve engineering tissues using an electric stimulus through conductive biomaterials.

“One of the largest challenges in the application of direct electrical stimulation to stem cells is to obtain reproducible delivery when monitoring the electrical environment and the cartography of specific cellular responses,” said Money Sawyer, the main study of the study. “Our system introduces a modular and scalable platform which allows high speed electrical stimulation and coupled by scaffolding with precise control – opening up new possibilities to understand how electrical signals influence the formation of fabrics.”

Arthrosis ranks as a global cause of pain and disability, currently affecting more than 595 million individuals, more than double the 256 million afflicted individuals recorded in 1990. The economic charge is significant, with global costs exceeding $ 460 billion per year, including health costs, loss of productivity and costs related to incapacity. In the United States only, OA represents $ 65 billion in direct and indirect costs, with more than a million joint replacements made each year to manage serious cases.

“Money's work provides new fundamental information on the role of electrical materials and stimuli in communication with stem cells,” said Professor David Estrada of the Micron School of Materials Science and Engineering. “I believe that this work prepares the way for a better understanding of human electrobiome;